MONTGOMERY, Ala. – A grand slam in the first and a solo shot in the second would give Columbus State all the runs it would need to take down Auburn University at Montgomery on Wednesday evening as the Cougars earned a 5-0 decision over the Warhawks in non-conference play at the AUM Softball Complex.
 
NOTES
- AUM falls to 29-8 on the season with a 15-5 at home.
- CSU improves to 24-10 overall and 7-5 in road games.
- The Warhawks are now 2-4 lifetime against Columbus State.
- Cougar pitcher Darby Demarest struck out 14 batters on the evening, the most strikeouts by the Warhawks as a team this season.
- The Orange & Black sent a season-high five pitchers to the circle this evening.
 
STANDOUT PERFORMERS
- Freshman shortstop Olivia Aycock went 2-for-3 at the plate for the Warhawks, collecting their only two hits of the contest.
- Freshman Jade Ingram pitched 2.0 shutout innings, allowing only two baserunners over nine batters faced.
 
HOW IT HAPPENED
- CSU started off the game with a single up the middle followed by an error by the Warhawks that put runners at first and second. After a walk to load the bases AUM forced a fly out to centerfield for the first out of the inning. The Cougars' Kirstin Reynolds would send a high fly ball to deep left center that would clear the fence and the bases, giving the visitors a 4-0 advantage.
- The Cougars added to their lead in the top of the second when Hannah Rose Corbin hit a solo homer to deep centerfield to push the CSU advantage to 5-0.
- AUM recorded base runners in the second, third and fifth innings, but could not string together any offense to remain scoreless through five.
- Aycock tallied her second hit of the contest in the bottom of the sixth and made it all the way to third on an error and a wild pitch, but was left stranded to end the frame.
- After Parker Pinholster led off the seventh with a walk followed by a stolen base by the junior centerfielder, the Warhawks struck out twice then popped up to third with a runner in scoring position to end the contest.
 
INSIDE THE BOXSCORE
- The Warhawks scored no runs on two hits with three errors.
- CSU scored five runs on five hits with one error.
- Starter Michaelyn Foster fell to 11-3 on the season after allowing four runs (three earned) on two hits in 1.0 innings of work.
- Demarest allowed two hits over 7.0 innings with 14 K's, three walks and a hit by pitch. The 14 strikeouts are a season high for Demarest and just one shy of her career best.
 
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