COLUMBUS, Ga. - The Lander Softball team saw their run in the Peach Belt Conference Tournament come to an end on Saturday afternoon as they were defeated 11-7 in an elimination game by the second-seeded Columbus State Cougars at Cougar Field.
Lander now sits at 32-16 and will await the NCAA Selection Show to see if they will make their first NCAA Tournament in program history. Columbus State kept their PBC Tournament run alive and sit at 30-21.
The Bearcats held a lead at four separate times in the game but the Cougars answered in the bottom half of the inning each time.
Lander struck first as Peach Belt Player of the Year, Emily Allen, laced a RBI single to score Saje Jones and then Logan Coward made it 3-0 with her ninth home run of the season.
Columbus State then answered back in the bottom of the first took a 4-3 lead.
The Bearcats punched back in the second with a two-RBI single from Abbie Behe to flip the scoreline back in Lander's favor at 5-4. Columbus State then answered with a solo shot in the bottom half to tie the game.
Both teams were held scoreless for the first time all game in the third. Then, Behe struck again in the fourth with another RBI single to score Rylee Omahen to give Lander the lead back at 6-5. Columbus State tied the game in the bottom half with an RBI ground out.
After a scoreless fifth, Allen gave Lander the lead once again with her second RBI hit of the game but the Cougars punched back in a big way as they tied the game with an RBI single and then got a grand slam to put them up four and secure the win.
The NCAA Selection Show is scheduled for May 6th.
