Box Score 1 | Box Score 2 Belleville, Ill. - The Cougar Softball team split a doubleheader with American Midwest Conference (AMC) opponent and 23^rd-ranked Lindenwood University-Belleville today, dropping game one 4-3 before winning game two 10-2. With the split, Columbia moves to 12-10 overall on the year and 4-4 in league play.

The Cougars struck first in game one as Carly Spalding reached base on an error and eventually scored on a groundout by Allyson Metz in the top of the first. After three scoreless innings, the Lynx struck for a run on a solo shot by Emily Ray to knot the score at one.

Natalie Dummitt gave Columbia a 2-1 advantage in the sixth as she cranked her first collegiate homerun which scored Metz who led the inning off with a double.

Columbia held the Lynx in the bottom of the sixth, but LU-B would score three runs in the seventh on four hits and a Cougar error to take game one 4-3.

Paxton Welch (4-7) took the loss after allowing six hits and striking out one. Columbia totaled six hits in the loss as Spalding, Metz, Dummitt, Olivia Denslow and Kaylee Brueggeman had one hit apiece.

Columbia jumped on top first again in game two as Spalding led off with a walk in the third and scored on a sacrifice fly by Metz. The Lynx took a 2-1 lead in the fourth on a two-run single by Taylor Winn.

The Cougars responded with six runs in the fourth to go ahead 7-2 on five hits. Brueggeman hit in the first run of the inning on a double to left and Rachel Sullivan drew a walk with bases loaded to score the second run. The next at bat, Metz roped a base clearing double and then scored on a double by Molly Carter to round out the scoring.

Columbia would plate one run in the sixth and two in the seventh while keeping the Lynx scoreless to take game two by a score of 10-2.

Lauren McCroskie (5-1) earned the win in the circle, allowing nine hits and striking out one. Metz led the offense with three hits and four RBI while Carter and Dummitt chipped in three hits apiece. Sullivan, Denslow and Julianna Waldner had two hits apiece as well.

Columbia will take on crosstown foe Stephens College tomorrow March 22^nd in a conference doubleheader beginning at 2:00 p.m. The game will take place at American Legion Park in Columbia.