Game 1: Columbia College 4, Cottey College 1
In the first matchup of the day, Columbia College (MO) capitalized on early opportunities to pull ahead and maintain control throughout the game.
The Cougars opened scoring in the third inning with K. Schanuth's RBI single to right field, bringing in A. Zismer. Columbia added a second run moments later when W. Wijk was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded, allowing E. Klietherm to score and extend the lead to 2-0.
Cottey's Amelia Gassman responded in the fourth with a solo home run to cut the deficit in half, but the Comets couldn't keep Columbia off the board. In the sixth, Columbia tacked on two more insurance runs — first from an A. Zismer RBI double, followed by a C. Avery RBI single that made it 4-1. Cottey's bats remained quiet the rest of the way as Columbia secured the win.
Game 2: Crowley's Ridge 8, Cottey College 2
Cottey's season ended in Game 2, falling to Crowley's Ridge College. After falling behind 1-0 in the fourth on an RBI single by J. Villarrea, the Comets responded quickly. Gassman stayed hot at the plate with an RBI double to tie the game, followed by Grayce Taylor's RBI single that gave Cottey a 2-1 lead heading into the fifth.
However, the game turned in the latter innings. Crowley's Ridge evened the score in the sixth with a solo home run by L. Wessel, then exploded for a seven-run eighth inning. Wessel kicked off the rally with an RBI single, followed by an RBI walk by Villarrea and a run-scoring single by K. Cox. J. Janak delivered the knockout blow with a two-RBI double, and M. Burris capped the inning with another RBI single, pushing the final tally to 8-2.
Season Recap
Amelia Gassman was the offensive highlight for Cottey, going deep in game one and adding a double and RBI in game two. Despite some strong moments, Cottey struggled to maintain momentum in the second game's late innings, a costly lapse that turned a close contest into a lopsided final. Cottey's season ends at 23-23. The Comets will look to reload for the 2025-26 season.
