Cougars Cruise to Fifth-Straight AMC Tournament Championship

Columbia, Mo. – For the fifth-straight time, the Columbia College Softball team won the American Midwest Conference (AMC) Softball Tournament.
 
With the two wins, the Cougars have now won 53-straight games against AMC opponents.
 
In game two, Athena Wheeler hit her second home run of the game to break the program record for most home runs in a single season with 15.
 
Game 1: (18) Columbia def. William Woods, 9-1 (six innings)
The Scoring:

• B1 (CC): Athena Wheeler and Karolina Arbova hit RBI doubles, while Avgustina Arbova added a run scoring single (CC 3, WWU 0).
• B2 (CC): Emily King doubled to left field for an RBI (CC 4, WWU 0)
• B4 (CC): King added another RBI hit, followed by a three-run home run from Karolina Arbova (CC 8, WWU 0)
• T5 (WWU): The Owls scored their only run on a Emma Taylor double (CC 8, WWU 1)
• B6 (CC): Skyler Kauble singled to center, scoring Karolina Arbova and giving the Cougars the run rule win (CC 9 WWU 1)

 
Inside the Box:

• Karolina Arbova went 4-4 at the plate with four RBIs and three runs scored. She was a triple away from the cycle.
• Avgustina Arbova and Jacey Meyer added three hits for the Cougars, while Taylor Barnes, Emily King, and Skyler Kauble had two this each.
• King, Athena Wheeler, Karolina Arbova, and Skyler Kauble had doubles.
• Barnes, Suzanna Shanks, and Wheeler had stolen bases.
• CC had 18 hits in the contest.
• Lexi Dickerson went the distance in the circle tossing six innings, allowing just the one earned run on five hits and striking out seven.

 
Game 2: (18) Columbia def. William Woods, 17-3
The Scoring:

• T1 (CC): Karolina Arbova got things started with an RBI single to center field (CC 1, WWU 0)
• T3 (CC): Emily King reached on a fielder’s choice, scoring Taylor Barnes (CC 2, WWU 0)
• T5 (CC): A sac fly from Karolina Arbova and a double by Avgustina Arbova added two more runs for CC (4, WWU 0)
• B5 (WWU): The Owls scored three times in the inning (CC 4, WWU 3)
• T6 (CC): Columbia responded with a five-rung sixth, highlighted by a three-run homer from Athena Wheeler (CC 9, WWU 3).
• T7 (CC): The Cougars added eight more runs, with three coming on back-to-back home runs from Wheeler, a two-run shot, and an inside-the-park homer from Karolina Arbova (CC 17, WWU 3).

 
Inside the Box:

• Five difference players had multiple hits for Columbia
• Karolina Arbova and Taylor Barnes had four hits apiece.
• Athena Wheeler hit two home runs and added five RBIs.
• Barnes and Mackenzie Kasarda scored three times.
• Barnes swiped three bases. Emily King and Abigail Pringer had a stolen base.
• Ella Schouten picked up the win after going six innings, allowing three earned runs on seven hits and striking out seven.
• Alyssa Roll went an inning in the circle, giving up just a hit.

 
Up Next:
The Cougars have earned an automatic bid to the NAIA National Championship Opening Round and will find out their destination and opponents on Tuesday, May 10 at 4:00 PM live on the NAIA Facebook page.