Cougars Crowned PBC Tournament Champions after Upsetting North Georgia - Columbus State University Athletics (2024)

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Game Recap: Softball | 5/04/2024 | Ally Cadenhead

The softball team won both games on Saturday to win the 2024 PBC Tournament Championship, snapping UNG's championship nine-year win streak.

DAHLONEGA, Ga. - It was a thrilling and emotional Saturday in Dahlonega, Ga. as the Columbus State University softball team upset the University of North Georgia in the 2024 Peach Belt Conference Tournament Championship, beating the Nighthawks in two games to be crowned tournament champions for the first time since 2013.

After falling 10-2 Friday afternoon to UNG, the Cougars bounced back on Saturday, defeating the Nighthawks 5-4 in game one and dominating the second game, 8-2, to snap North Georgia's nine-year tournament championship win streak. This is head coach Brad Huskisson's third tournament championship.

"Our teamhas been taught to always get in the fight because they always will win or lose," said Huskisson. "Today just happened to be our day to win. I'm so proud of this team, they deserve it."

Lindsey Patton was named the PBC Tournament MVP after tying the game at four in the top of the seventh inning of the first game with a three-run home run. The senior from Loganville, Ga. went 2-for-4 in the second game on Saturday. In the tournament, Patton hit .428(12-for-28) at the plate with nine runs, one double, one triple, five home runs and 14 RBI.

Kenzie Bayer, Laura Harris and Gracyn Gurley were also honored on the All-PBC Tournament team.

Game 1: CSU 5 UNG 4
North Georgia took an early 2-0 lead over Columbus State in the bottom of the first inning with a two-run RBI double, then added two more runs in the third off a triple and double. Both teams were scoreless the rest of the game until the seventh inning when the Cougars decided they weren't going to go home.

With Bayer on third base and Kara Wegienka on first, Caitlyn Canady ripped a single to center field to plate Bayer, putting CSU on board for the first time in the game. With two outs and runners on first and second, Patton jacked a three-run bomb to tie the game at four.

Nova Wright then hit a double, representing the game winning run. Harris walked and Wright made her way to third base thanks to a wild pitch. Brooke Miller came to the rescue, doubling to right field, allowing Wright to score and giving CSU their first lead of the day.

Julianna Franklin got one out in the bottom of the seventh before starter Jessica Lopez reentered to get the last two outs of the inning, shutting down UNG.

Game 2: CSU 8 UNG 2
In the second game, Wright hit a sac fly in the top of the first to plate Canady, and Katelyn Cooper scored off a fielder's choice to put CSU ahead 2-0. UNG got one run back in the first off a home run, but the Cougars extended their lead to 5-2, scoring three runs in the second thanks to two doubles from Cooper and Harris and a single from Wright.

CSU made it 8-1 in the fourth with another double from Harris, a single from Bayer and a bases loaded walk. The Nighthawks tallied on one more run in the bottom of the fourth inning, scoring off a fielder's choice.

Lopez earned the win inside the circle, but freshman Gurley pitched 4.0 innings in relief.Cooper led Columbus State with three hits.

UP NEXT
The NCAA selection show is Monday, May 6 at 10 a.m. The Cougars will wait to see what seed they will be in the upcoming Southeast Regional, which is from May 9-11.