COLUMBUS, Ga. - The Union University softball team split the opening day of the 2020 Columbus State Classic, hosted by Columbus State University. Union won the first game 4-3 in nine innings over Georgia Southwestern University and then dropped the second game to host Columbus State 3-0. Union moved to 6-4 on the season. GSW moved to 7-5, while Columbus State is XXXX. 

Union led 1-0 in the first game, then trailed 2-1 in the bottom of the seventh. Union tied the game in the bottom of the seventh to force extras. Peyton Mathis tied the game with an RBI single. After GSW scored in the top of the eighth, Union again rallied in the bottom half of the frame. Idalia Alarcon's double drove in Mathis to force a ninth inning. Union held GSW scoreless in the top of the ninth. Then, It was Mathis again, involved in each of the final three runs, getting the game-winning single to drive in Grace White to win the game. Mathis and Gabby Morris led with two hits each. Parker Davis (3-3) earned the win, tossing all nine innings, allowing nine hits, three runs, two earned, with six strikeouts and three walks. 

In the second game, Union's offense out hit Columbus State 8-4 in the game and Union committed the game's only error. CSU scored twice in the fourth and once in the sixth to and the pitching and defense did the rest. Union left six runners on base. The Lady Bulldogs were led by Kristen Pickens with a 3-for-3 game. Morris (3-1) took her first loss of the season, allowing three runs on four hits with eight strikeouts and eight walks. 

Up next for Union will be its first home games of the year, a double-header versus Lane College, Feb. 19 at 2 p.m. at Fesmire Field. 

-UNION-