Columbia, Mo. – The Columbia College softball team was back on the field this morning as they continued play in the NAIA National Championship Opening Round bracket play. Today the Cougars were taking on the number one seed Valley City State (N.D.) University Vikings. Columbia fell in extra innings 5-3 to the Vikings. Columbia is now 36-11 on the season.

The Vikings bats were awake to start the game as they took the early 2-0 lead after the top of the first. The Cougars responded quickly getting two runners on base with freshman Mackenzie Kasarda up to the plate. She tripled to the right field fence, clearing the bases, erasing the early Viking lead. After the first, the game was knotted at 2 apiece. With runners on base for the Vikings in the third, Columbia was able to hold them and keep the game tied midway through the inning. Neither side could grab a lead until the bottom of the fifth, when Jacey Meyer singled up the middle, to drive Carter in from second, giving the Cougars their first lead of the game, 3-2. Once again, the Vikings left a runner on base as the Cougars closed out the top of the sixth, still in the lead. The Cougars remained up by one run and were three outs away from locking up the victory. Columbia struck out the first two batters, but the Vikings were able to triple to get the tying run in scoring position. They then drove that runner in to tie the game, 3-3, before the Cougars got themselves out of the top of the seventh. The Cougars were looking to walk-off the game in the bottom of the seventh. Natalie Dummitt reached first on a walk, and would then advance to second on a sac bunt from Meyer. However, Columbia was unable to capitalize with the runner in scoring position as the game was heading into extra innings. In the top of the eighth the Vikings got a runner on base and drove her in on a triple to deep right field. They were able to cross the plate again, taking a 5-3 lead. Centerfielder, Libby Marko made a diving catch to deter any more Viking runs and end the top of the eighth. The Cougars were unable to come back in their final at bat and fell 5-3 in eight innings.

Lexi Dickerson was on the mound as she allowed 10 hits, four earned runs, and struck out seven batters in 7.2 innings of work. Kaitlyn Nottelmann came in to relieve Dickerson, as she allowed one hit and secured the final out of the seventh inning. Offensively, Molly Carter was 2-4 with two runs scored, Mackenzie Kasarda was 1-3 with two RBIs, Jacey Meyer was 1-2, and Olivia Denslow, Allison Keen, Avgustina Arbova, and Karolina Arbova were each 1-4.

With the loss, Columbia will play again this afternoon in an elimination game against the winner of the Brenau vs. Madonna matchup. The game will begin roughly 40 minutes after the Brenau vs. Madonna contest.  

For all Softball National Championship Opening Round info click here.