The Crimson Pride softball team was riding a five game winning streak as they traveled to New Albany to take on IU Southeast.
This stop was the first of three road doubleheaders in a crucial stretch of River States Conference games. The win streak ended at five, however, as the Grenadiers won both games 6-4 and 10-2.

Game 1
IU Columbus came out swinging the bats to start the game. Singles by Renee Lecher and Cierra Cramer with one out in the first were followed up by 2-out singles by Mallory Shelton, Justice Cash and Lily Retz. The baserunning was station-to-station, and the Crimson Pride left the bases loaded, leading 2-0 going into the bottom of the first. The Grenadiers scored one run in the bottom half on a sacrfice fly.

The Crimson Pride added one in the second as Linnea Baldner and Lecher each doubled. Walks to Cramer and Shelton loaded the bases, but they stranded all three runners for the second time in as many innings. The score was still 3-1 when Grace Stapleton of IU Southeast doubled down the right field line, tying the score with two outs in the third.

IU Southeast scored three runs in the fourth on three singles and a double steal. The score was 6-3, and it stayed there until the seventh.
The Crimson Pride need a rally to stay alive, and it looked like they might just pull it off. Emma Chism singled with one out, and Retz doubled to score Chism. Emma Davis came on to pitch in relief of starter Hailey Foley for IU Southeast. Lex Heafner walked, putting the tying run on base. Davis was then able to strike out the next two Crimson Pride hitters and secure the 6-4 win for the Grenadiers.

Game 2
The Crimson Pride offense opened up the second game much like the first. Baldner led off with a single and scored on Cramer's double down the left field line. Chism hit a 2-out single, scoring Chism and giving IUC the lead 2-0 in the first. Starting pitcher Chloe Linn got through the first two innings with no trouble, allowing only a single in each inning. IU Southeast offense got going in the third with a leadoff walk to Ava Allen and a single by Josie Lemmons. Two outs later Savannah Gaither singled, scoring Allen. Stapleton followed with an RBI single, scoring Lemmons to tie the score 2-2 after three innings.

Good pitching and defense by both teams kept the game tied going into the bottom of the sixth. A single and two walks loaded the bases for the Grenadiers with one out. Two more walks with the bases loaded scored runs, and Lemmons singled home two more to make the score 6-2. Another walk, single and double scored four more runs and ended the game on the eight run rule 10-2.

Next on the schedule:
The Crimson Pride travel to Oakland City on Saturday and St. Mary of the Woods on Sunday.