DAHLONEGA, GA -- The Columbus State Cougars defeated top-seeded North Georgia twice on Saturday to capture the 2024 Peach Belt Conference Softball Tournament title. The Cougars won game one in dramatic fashion 5-4 and took the second game 8-2. CSU needed to win both games on Saturday after dropping the opening game of the best-of-three series on Friday. The Cougars win their sixth PBC Tournament title of all time and end North Georgia's run of nine in a row.
Game One - Columbus State 5, North Georgia 4
North Georgia jumped out to an early lead as Madison Simmons' double to left center scored Katie Ward and Sydney Blair. A Mallory Parker triple in the third scored Georgia Blair while Marycille Brumby followed with a double to score Parker.
Nighthawk starter Kristen Davis was in cruise control, holding the Cougars to three hits through the first six innings with five strikeouts. That all changed in the top of the seventh as Kenzie Bayer, Kara Wegienka both singled. With one out, Caitlyn Canady drove a ground ball up the middle for a base hit that scored Bayer.
With two out, Davis was replaced by Tybee Denton for UNG, facing Lindsey Patton with two on. Patton wasted little time, taking the first pitch she saw over the right field fence, scoring all three runs and tying the game at four.
Nova Wright followed that up with a double and scored on Laura Harris' double and a 5-4 CSU lead.
CSU's Julianna Franklin (W 14-4), came in to record the last out of the sixth and then pitched the seventh. She gave up a leadoff single to Georgia Blair and another to Simmons with one out. Brumby's fly ball recorded a second out, followed by a wild pitch that moved the runners to second and third. With the game on the line, Franklin struck out Grayson Perry to end the game and force a decisive game three.
Game Two - Columbus State 8, North Georgia 2
The Cougars picked up right where they left off, scoring two runs in the top of the first off of Denton. Canady began the game with a single, followed by a bunt single from Katelyn Cooper. A walk to Patton loaded the bases with no outs and CSU cashed in with a sac fly from Wright, followed by a fielder's choice that scored Cooper.
North Georgia answered in the bottom of the first as Georgia Blair hit a two-out solo home run off CSU starter Jessica Lopez. Lopez was able to get Parker to fly out to end the inning.
The Cougars came back to score three more in the top of the second. A double from Cooper scored Canady; Cooper then scored on Wright's RBI single. Harris then doubled to score Wright for a 5-1 Cougar lead. UNG starter Denton (L, 26-4) did not make it out of the inning as Anniston Wright came in to get the third out.
After neither team scored in the third, CSU got to Anniston Wright in the fourth with three straight hits. Patton started with a double, followed by a single from Nova Wright to put runners at the corners. Harris then doubled to left to score Patton.
The bases were loaded with no out when Bayer sent a single up the middle to score Wright. UNG put in Delaney Heaberlin to pitch, but she issued a walk with the bases loaded to score Harris. UNG was able to get out of the inning after a great defensive play at home plate, followed by a ground out to second.
Down 8-1, the Nighthawks tried to rally in the fourth as CSU replaced starter Jessica Lopez (W, 12-5) with Gracyn Gurley. UNG got a walk and a single with one out and scored their second run on Brumby's RBI fielder's choice. Gurley was able to get the third out on a grounder to first, and then did not allow another run to score.
UNG had baserunners, but the CSU defense was up to the challenge, turning double plays in the sixth and seventh innings to secure the win.
Columbus State earns the PBC's automatic bid to the NCAA Championships, securing their spot in the eight-team regional. UNG is also assured of a spot in the regional and may serve as one of the two hosts. The NCAA field will be announced on Monday.
All-Tournament Team
Paige Maseda, Flagler
Natalie Herrera, Georgia Southwestern
Hailey Pinette, Georgia Southwestern
Marycille Brumby, North Georgia
Rylie Moody, North Georgia
Georgia Blair, North Georgia
Laura Harris, Columbus State
Kenzie Bayer, Columbus State
Gracyn Gurley, Columbus State
Tournament Most Valuable Player
Lindsey Patton, Columbus State