COLUMBUS, Ga. – The United States Sports University softball team earned its first win of the season, defeating Louisiana Christian 13-4 in six innings before falling to Brenau 9-8 at the NFCA Leadoff Classic on Saturday.
 
USSU 13, Louisiana Christian 4 (6 Inn.)
USSU (1-10) broke the game open with five runs in the second inning. Isabelle Calagaz drove in two with a single to right field, Kassidy (Rowdy) New added a sacrifice fly, and Sydney Taylor followed with a two-run single to give the Eagles a 5-0 lead.
 
Louisiana Christian (7-8) answered with three runs in the third and another in the fourth to cut the deficit to 5-4, but USSU responded in the bottom of the fourth when New hit a solo home run to left field.
 
The Eagles put the game away in the sixth with a seven-run inning. Taylor singled home a run, Annabeth (AB) Parrish drew a bases-loaded walk, and Jaci Hagler followed with another walk to force in a run. Bailey Moffat ended the game with a three-run home run to center field to seal the run-rule victory.
 
New finished 2-for-3 with a home run and two RBIs, Taylor had two hits and three RBIs, and Calagaz drove in two runs. Hailey Vanbrimmer scored twice as USSU totaled nine hits and eight walks.
 
Ryleigh Merritt (1-0) earned the win, allowing four runs on three hits over six innings while striking out four.
 
Brenau 9, USSU 8
USSU scored four runs in the first inning. Vanbrimmer singled and later scored on a hit by Morgan Courtney, and Ahlexus Lackey followed with an RBI single. Aralee Beene added a two-run single to give the Eagles a 4-0 lead.
 
The Eagles added another run in the second when New singled home Vanbrimmer to make it 5-2, then pushed the lead to 6-3 in the fourth on an RBI groundout by Courtney.
 
Moffat hit a solo home run in the fifth, and Vanbrimmer later singled home a run in the inning to extend the advantage to 8-3.
 
Brenau (6-4) rallied late, scoring once in the fifth before a five-run sixth inning gave the Tigers their first lead of the game at 9-8. A bases-loaded triple highlighted the inning as Brenau erased the deficit.
 
Vanbrimmer finished 3-for-4 with two runs scored, while New went 3-for-4 with an RBI. Beene and Irina Sanford each had two hits, and Moffat added a home run as the Eagles totaled 14 hits.
 
Breana Barnes took the loss after allowing nine runs, seven earned, over six innings.
 
Up Next
The Eagles close their weekend at the NFCA Leadoff Classic against (RV) Campbellsville at 9 a.m. (ET) Sunday.
 
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