Box Score 1 | Box Score 2 | Box Score 3 | Box Score 4 IU Columbus Softball traveled to Portsmouth, Ohio for a Friday doubleheader at Shawnee State before returning home for a pair against Brescia at CERA Sports Park. The home field saw the Crimson Pride hitters break out and gain a split of the doubleheader with Brescia.

Friday, March 13
Game 1
Shawnee State took advantage of defensive mistakes by the Crimson Pride defense to get out front early. The Bears scored 4 runs in the first inning, and added three more in the second to lead 7-0. 

IU Columbus rallied in the fourth. A walk and a single by Linnea Baldner put runners on the corners with one out. Justice Cash singled, scoring Mackenzie Matern and moving Baldner to second. Jazlynn Stewart then doubled both runners home. Stewart moved to third on a groundout, and scored on a Renee Lecher infield single. The inning ended there with the score 7-4.

Shawnee State struck again in the fifth, scoring five more times  That ended the contest with the eight-run rule at 12-4.

Game 2
The second game began just like the first as Shawnee State scored three runs in the first to grab the early lead. The Crimson Pride answered in the second inning, as Lecher got the offense started with a 1-out single. Stewart was hit by a pitch, putting the runners at first and second. Destiny Forler doubled to right-center, scoring both Lecher and Stewart. One out later Olivia Bright doubled in Forler, tying the game 3-3.

Shawnee State responded with an eight run burst in the bottom half of the inning to lead 11-3. After they added two more in the third to lead by ten, the Crimson Pride offense stayed silent the rest of the way, and the Bears finished the sweep 13-3.

Saturday, March 14
Game 1
With 2 outs and nobody on base, Brescia rallied for three runs in the top of the first. The Crimson Pride answered with one run in the bottom half to make it 3-1. Brescia came back in the second, starting off just like the first inning with a walk and hit-by-pitch. Emma Kate Elrod then  crushed a 3-run homer upping the lead to 6-1.

IU Columbus scored once in the third inning, and added two more in the fourth to cut the lead to 7-4. Brescia added single runs in the sixth and seventh to make the final score 9-4.

Game 2
Brescia scored two runs in the top of the first to take the early lead. The Crimson Pride offense came to life in the home half. Baldner led off with a single, and came all the way around to score on a pair of errors by the Bearcats. Lex Heafner walked and Lecher singled, putting runners on first and second. After a forceout at second, Mallory Shelton belted a 3-run home run to give the home team a 4-2 lead.

Brescia came back with three more in the top of the second to retake the lead 5-4. Then the Crimson Pride offense exploded in the bottom of the second inning.

Carli Hosler led off with a solo home run to tie the game at 5. Baldner singled, Heafner doubled, Lecher walked and Forler singled. After one out, Sydni Sauri doubled, Lily Culp reached on a fielder's choice, and Justice Cash singled. Hosler singled in her second at-bat of the inning, and Baldner singled for the second time. By the time the dust had settled the Crimson Pride had scored ten times to lead 14-5.

IUC added three more in the fourth inning and the final score was 17-6.

Coach Tommi Stowers: "I was disappointed with our play on Friday, particularly on defense. But I am proud of the way we battled back on Saturday, and it was great to see our offense break out like it did."

Next on the schedule: The Crimson Pride have a big River States Conference weekend as they host Midway for a doubleheader on Friday and Kentucky Christian on Saturday. Both doubleheaders begin at 1:00 at CERA Sports Park.