BRANSON, Mo. – Ella Schouten and Megan Graver combined for a shutout and Kennedy Schanuth delivered a three-run triple in a five-run fifth inning as the No. 3-seeded Columbia College softball team defeated No. 4-seeded Central Baptist College, 6-0, on Thursday at the Branson Rec Plex in the AMC Tournament winners bracket semifinal. With the victory, the Cougars advance to the AMC Championship Game and improve to 26-13 overall.
Schouten was dominant in her third start of the tournament, retiring the Mustangs in order in three of her six innings and allowing just four hits while striking out eight without allowing an earned run. Graver came on in relief to close it out, striking out three batters she faced in a clean seventh inning. The Cougars combined for 11 strikeouts on the afternoon.
Columbia got on the board early in the first. Abigail Zismer drew a lead-off walk and advanced on a Taryn Hagardt sacrifice bunt. Rosalie Schneider was hit by a pitch to put two runners on, and a Wriley Taylor walk loaded the bases. Cassidy Avery then singled to left-center to plate Zismer and give the Cougars a 1-0 edge.
That lead held until the fifth, when Columbia broke the game open with a five-run outburst. Zismer singled and moved to third on another Hagardt sacrifice bunt and a Schneider single. Pinch runner Maddy Clancy took over for Schneider and immediately stole second. Taylor followed with an RBI single up the middle to score Zismer and make it 2-0, and after Taylor swiped second and Avery singled, Schanuth launched a three-run triple to right-center to blow the game open at 5-0. Sophia Angel added the sixth run with a sacrifice fly to center to score Schanuth.
Schanuth's triple was the biggest swing of the afternoon, and Avery continued her hot tournament, going 2-for-3 with an RBI. Zismer reached base three times — going 2-for-3 with a walk — and scored twice.
Columbia advances to the AMC Championship Game on Friday, May 1 at 12:00 p.m. at the Branson Rec Plex.
Statistical Leaders: CC def. Central Baptist, 6-0
- Kennedy Schanuth's three-run triple to right-center in the fifth inning was the game's decisive blow, finishing 1-for-3 with three RBI
- Cassidy Avery finished 2-for-3 with an RBI in back-to-back multi-hit tournament games
- Abigail Zismer reached base three times (2-for-3, BB) and scored twice
- Wriley Taylor drew a walk, drove in a run and stole a base; Maddy Clancy added a stolen base and scored as a pinch runner
- Sophia Angel contributed a sacrifice fly RBI; Taryn Hagardt laid down two sacrifice bunts
- Columbia combined for 11 strikeouts on the mound and did not allow an earned run
- Pitching
- Ella Schouten (W, 14-5): 6.0 IP, 4 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 2 BB, 8 SO
- Megan Graver: 1.0 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 3 SO
