Batesville, Ark. – The Columbia College softball team traveled to Batesville, Arkansas to face the Lyon College Scots in their final AMC doubleheader of the regular season. The Cougars pulled off a big comeback in game one to win 10-9 and then cruised through game two winning 11-0 as Kaitlyn Nottelmann threw a no hitter. Columbia is now 30-10 on the season and finished 21-3 in conference play. With the sweep the Cougars have been crowned AMC Regular Season Champions and earned an automatic bid to the National Tournament.
In game one the Scots quickly jumped out to a large lead as the score was 7-0 after two innings. In the third the Cougars were able to get two runs on the board. In the top of the fifth Molly Carter homered to earn the only run of the inning, while Columbia held the Scots at 7. The Cougars broke out in the sixth inning scoring six runs to take a two run lead 9-7 with one inning to play. Karolina Arbova hit a solo homerun in the top of the seventh, putting the Cougars up by three. In the bottom of the inning the Scots rallied in two runs, but that was all they could do as the Cougars shut down the game with a 10-9 victory.
Lexi Dickerson started the game as she allowed two hits and three earned runs, while facing three batters. Madison Ramsey came in and allowed five hits, two earned runs, and struck out six batters in six innings of work. Then Kaitlyn Nottelmann came in for the final inning and struck out three batters to secure the win for the Cougars. Offensively, Olivia Denslow went 1-4 with one run scored and two RBIs, Libby Marko was 1-2 with one run scored and one RBI, Molly Carter was 2-3 with three runs scored and one RBI, Mackenzie Kasarda was 1-4, Natalie Dummitt was 3-4 with one run scored and four RBIs, Jacey Meyer was 1-4 with one run scored, Avgustina Arbova was 1-3, and Karolina Arbova was 1-3 with two runs scored and one RBI. Samantha Myers also added a run.
The Cougars carried their momentum into game two as they scored two runs in the first off a two-run homer from Mackenzie Kasarda. Then in the second, Olivia Denslow knocked a three-run homer to put the Cougars up 5-0. Columbia added another run in the third, two in the fourth, and three in the fifth to hold a commanding 11-0. The Cougars offensive explosion in game two ended the game in five innings, while Kaitlyn Nottelmann threw a no hitter to cap off Columbia's final regular season game.
Kaitlyn Nottelmann commanded the circle as she secured the no hitter. Offensively, Olivia Denslow was 3-4 with two runs scored and four RBIs, Libby Marko was 1-3 with one run scored, Molly Carter scored two runs, Mackenzie Kasarda was 3-4 with three runs scored and four RBIs, Natalie Dummitt was 1-4 with one RBI, Jacey Meyer was 2-3 with one RBI, Allison Keen was 2-4 with one RBI, Avgustina Arbova was 2-3 with one run scored, while Samantha Myers and Karolina Arbova each added a run.
The Cougars will return to the diamond for the AMC Conference Tournament. The Cougars are hosting the tournament at Antimi Softball Complex April 30th-May 3rd.
