Columbia, Mo. – This afternoon the NAIA national office announced its fourth Softball Top 25 Poll for the 2017 season. The Cougars, who ranked third in the last poll, remained third in the most recent poll after improving to 40-5 on the season.

Columbia College has been playing great softball all season long and currently rank at the top of the NAIA in five offensive categories. They rank number one in doubles per game (2.289), hits per game (11.756), runs batted in per game (7.511), batting average (0.402), and slugging percentage (0.609). In addition, they rank second in at bats per game (29.244) and runs scored per game (8.089) while also ranking in the top five in total hits (529) and total runs scored (364).

Although the entire team has been hitting the ball well, it has been Molly Carter and Carly Spalding that have led the way for Columbia all season long. Carter currently ranks in the top 10 nationally in seven offensive categories including first in runs batted in per game (1.644), fourth in total runs batted in (74), and seventh in total doubles (20). Spalding currently ranks in the top 10 in nine offensive categories including first in runs scored per game (1.556), second in stolen bases per game (1.089), fourth in total runs scored (70), and seventh in total triples (6).

Not only has the team been an offensive juggernaut all season long, the starting pitching has been dominant as well. Paxton Welch (17-4) and Lauren McCroskie (20-1) have been leading the efforts in the circle this season as both pitchers have sub 1.50 earned run averages. McCroskie currently sits 17^th in the NAIA in earned run average (1.25) and 14^th in wins (20) while Welch sits 23^rd in the NAIA in earned run average (1.40) and 26^th in opponent batting average (0.200).

The Cougars, who opened up AMC Softball Championship play with a sweep over Lyon (Ark.) College, will travel to Henderson, Tennessee, on Thursday, May 4^th to compete at the final site of the AMC Softball Championships. Columbia will play at 10 a.m. on Thursday at Freed-Hardeman (Tenn.) University.