COLUMBUS, Ga. - Columbus State defeated Lander 11-3 Friday evening in the opening game of a Peach Belt Conference softball series. 

GAME ONE

The Cougars scored three runs in the first two innings to take the early 3-0 lead. Saje Jones, Abbie Behe, and Logan Coward singled to lead off the inning in the top of the fourth. A one-out single by Emily Allen scored Jones to make it 3-1. An RBI walk by Shannon Antonini and a sacrifice fly by Gracie Derrick would tie the game at three. Columbus State answered with a run in the bottom half of the inning and added an insurance run in the fifth. 

Behe was 2-3 with a double and a run scored to lead the Lander offense, while Allen was 1-2 with an RBI. Kamryn Akins (0-1) took the loss allowing three earned runs on seven hits and struck out six. 

GAME TWO

Rylee Omahen reached on an error to lead off the game, and Saje Jones walked to put runners on first and second. Logan Coward drew a one-out walk, and then Barbara Cooke doubled down the left field line to clear the bases and give Lander a 3-0 lead. 

The Cougars then scored eight unanswered runs to take an 8-3 lead heading into the sixth inning. Emily Allen drew a lead-off walk, and then Shannon Antonini doubled to left-center to put runners on second and third. Both runners scored when Gracie Derrick reached an error to make it a three-run game. The Bearcats tried to tie the game up in the seventh when they loaded the bases, but Columbus State would hold on for the win.

Cook led the Bearcats at the plate, going 2-4 with a double and three runs driven in, while Antonini was 1-4 with a double and a run scored. Cook (1-1) took the loss allowing four runs in eight hits in three innings of work. 

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