Lakeland, Fla. – The Columbia Softball team dropped a doubleheader against No. 13 Southeastern (Fla.) University on Monday afternoon. Southeastern used a solo home run in the seventh inning to take game one 1-0 before winning game two by a score of 4-3. The Cougars move to 14-14 on the season.

The first game was a pitching duel to the end as the lone run came in the bottom of the seventh after the Fire's Anna Martin hit a walk-off home run to take game one.  The Fire were held to four hits throughout the contest while the Cougars recorded just two.

The Cougars stranded a runner in the top of the second and fourth as Molly Carter and Rachel Sullivan led off with singles, but couldn't capitalize on the scoring opportunity. In the top of the seventh, Columbia had one last chance to score as Carter reached base on a walk, but the Cougar offense couldn't deliver.

Junior pitcher Paxton Welch started her 13^th game of the season, striking out four batters and only allowing four hits.

The Cougars got on top early in game two as Allyson Metz singled and Carter followed with a two-run home run over the left field fence for the 2-0 lead. The Fire stuck for two runs in the bottom of the inning on one hit and one Cougar error to tie the game at two.

In the third, Columbia recorded the go ahead run as Carly Spalding reached base on a fielding error, stole second, moved to third on a sacrifice bunt by Metz and scored on a sacrifice fly to center by Carter. The Fire quickly gained a 4-3 advantage in the bottom of the frame. With the bases loaded following two singles and a walk, a third walk allowed the SEU to notch a run. With the Cougar defense not paying attention, Bri Girardin stole home on the same play, scoring the second run of the inning.

Columbia's best scoring opportunity came in the sixth inning after back-to-back singles by Carter and Natalie Dummitt, put runners on with no outs. However, Fire pitcher Cat Maldonado retired the next two batters and Carter was called out at third on a base hit by Olivia Denslow to get out of the inning. A misplayed grounder by SEU in the seventh allowed Sullivan to reach base with one out, but a strike out and ground out would end the contest, allowing the Fire to take game two by a score of 4-3.

Laruen McCroskie started on the mound and pitched two innings. Amber Boehme entered the game in relief and struck out two in four innings of work. Carter had two hits, including her first collegiate home run and recorded three RBI to lead the offensive efforts. Dummitt chipped in two hits while Spalding, Metz, and Denslow had one apiece

Columbia will be off tomorrow and return to the diamond on Wednesday, March 30^th for a matchup against Warner (Fla.) University. First pitch for the doubleheader is scheduled for 1:00 pm CST in Lake Wales, Fla.