While the Columbia Lady Wildcats goal for the year was to qualify for the postseason, they bested it Friday night with a doubleheader sweep in the first round over Southeast Lauderdale in convincing fashion.
Columbia outscored the Lady Tigers 30-9 in the doubleheader and is advancing to the second round for the first time since 2009.
“It was huge. Our goal this year was just to make it to the playoffs, and to win two at home and sweep Southeast in the first round was great,” head coach Greg Arnold said. “We’ve set goals and achieved them.”
In the second round the Lady Wildcats (15-8) match up with Morton (18-6), which Arnold said he believes will make for a good series. The Lady Panthers feature a lineup with five girls hitting above .400, three players with 15 or more steals and a pitcher, Mallory Irby, with a 15-3 record in the circle this season.
“They’re a good, defensively sound team. They have a pitcher who throws about mid 50s,” he said. “I feel like if we play our game defensively and keep hitting top to bottom we’re going to be a hard Round 2 matchup to beat.”
Columbia played Game 1 at home Tuesday night, winning 9-6, and will play Games 2 and 3, if necessary, Thursday at Morton at 5 and 7 p.m., respectively.
A five-run second inning against Southeast Lauderdale set the tone in Game 1 Friday night at Columbia as Elizabeth Byrd started the rally with an RBI double off the right-center field fence. McKinley Newcomer, who finished with a game-high 5 RBI, advanced Byrd on a sacrifice bunt before Makyla Bell plated Byrd with a single up the middle. Leah Nolan then grounded into a fielder’s choice to score Anabel Abrams, and Madalynn Williamson gave Columbia a 7-1 lead with a two-run double.
Newcomer later launched her fourth home run of the season, a grand slam in the fifth, to erase any doubt as the Lady Wildcats closed the book on a 15-2 win. Kacey Stampley whirled a complete game and fanned five to pick up the win.
Game 2 was a back-and-forth affair as the Lady Tigers had a 7-5 lead going into the bottom of the fifth, but Columbia responded with six runs to recapture the lead and added four insurance runs in the sixth in a 15-7 win.
Williamson did some damage with 3 RBI on a double and sacrifice fly, Boyd ripped two singles and a double for 2 RBI and Newcomer drove in a pair with a single and two walks. Stampley went 4-for-4 with an RBI and was a home run away from the cycle. Boyd tossed five innings to start the game and struck out two to get the win with Stampley closing the door with two solid innings in relief.
The sweep added to Columbia’s impressive run of late, winning five of its last six games at the perfect time.
“We’ve had a few girls step up here in the late part of the season. It’s nice when everybody, top to bottom, is hitting, running bases well and being selective at the plate,” Arnold said. “We’re playing good defense, and we’re getting hot here at the right time. As a coach it’s a great feeling.”
Pictured Above: Columbia shortstop Brianna Boyd catches a throw down to second base. | Photo by Joshua Campbell
