Hannibal, Mo. - The Cougar Softball team split a conference doubleheader with Hannibal-LaGrange University this afternoon, dropping game one 2-1 before bouncing back and winning game two by a score of 12-5. The split moves Columbia to 11-9 overall and 3-3 in the American Midwest Conference (AMC), while the Trojans now stand at 14-10 and 2-2 in league play.

The Cougars struck first in game one as Carly Spalding singled, advanced to second on a stolen base and scored on a sacrificed fly by Allyson Metz. The Trojans responded with two runs in the bottom of the fourth on a solo homerun by Kristen Lee and an RBI single from Jordyn Alford.

Columbia would put three runners on in the sixth and one in the seventh, but couldn't string the offense together as the Trojans pulled away with the 2-1 first game victory.

Paxton Welch (4-6) took the loss in the circle and struck out three in six innings of work. Spalding went 2-for-4 to lead the Cougar offense while Molly Carter, Natalie Dummitt, and Julianna Waldner chipped in one hit apiece.

Columbia jumped on top early in game two as Spalding singled and scored on a base hit by Carter in the first inning.

The Trojans scored three runs in the bottom of the second to go ahead 3-1 on four hits and one Cougar error. Lee sent her second one of the day over the fence to knot the score at one. Following back-to-back base hits, Jennifer Harness singled to left to score both Haley Zeier and Hannah Salrin.

Columbia would tie the score at three in the fourth inning on four hits. Natalie Dummitt led off with a double to center, moved to third on a single by Lauren McCroskie and later crossed the plate on a single by Spalding. Rachel Sullivan followed with a single, scoring McCroskie for the third run.

The Cougars added a fourth run in the fifth as Carter ripped a triple to right and scored on a single by Dummitt. Hannibal-LaGrange came roaring back with two runs in the fifth to go ahead 5-4 on a two-run single by Jenna Duckworth.

Columbia didn't back down from there as they would score six run in the sixth inning on five hits and three errors. Kaylee Brueggeman, Spalding, and Sullivan started the inning off with singles, loading the bases. Metz got into the box and stroked a triple to clear the bases and scored on a wild throw by the Trojans. Olivia Denslow and McCroskie reached base on two fielding errors from there and scored on a triple by Waldner to take a commanding 10-5 advantage over the home team.

The Cougars would plate two more runs in the seventh on a two-run single by Dummitt to round out the scoring.

McCroskie (4-1) pitched the full seven innings and struck out three. Dummitt led the offensive efforts with four hits and three RBI. Spalding recorded three hits while Sullivan, Metz, and Carter had two hits apiece.

The Cougars will return to action Monday, March 21^st when they travel Belleville, Ill. to take on AMC foe Lindenwood University-Belleville in a doubleheader beginning at 4:00 p.m.