COLUMBIA, S.C. - The CIU Rams softball team returned home on Wednesday to host in-town rival Columbia College. The Rams are coming off of a seven-game losing streak and were looking to bounce back against the Koalas. After two games and 24 runs, the Rams came away with two big wins over Columbia College. 

Game One

• The Rams came out swinging for the fences in the first inning. Robyn Andrews got things started with an RBI double, scoring Tanaya Ellis. Later in the at-bat, Kaitlynn Creel singled up the middle, scoring Robyn Andrews. Kendall Parker got involved with an RBI single to left shallow field. Freshman Hannah Brooke followed Kendall Parker and singled to shallow right, sending Shannon Patton home. Tanya Ellis doubled up the middle, scoring both Kendall Parker, and Ashlee Chinn from second and third. The Rams poured onto their 6-0 lead, as Robyn Andrews gave CIU two more runs, with a single to the right. CIU headed into the 2nd inning with a huge 8-0 lead over the Koalas. 
• CIU added to their lead in the 2nd, with an RBI from a Shannon Patton double to right-center field. 
• The Rams kept up the firepower in the 3rd. Tanaya Ellis again got involved with a RBI single to first base, sending Hannah Brooke home. Robyn Andrews hit a sacrifice fly, scoring Tanaya Ellis, giving CIU its final run of the day. 
• Pitcher Catie McGovern finished out a shut-out, with four strikeouts and allowing only two hits. 

Game Two:

• CIU started fast again in game two, getting up 3-0 in the first inning. Haylee Wilkerson got things started, hitting a two-run home run over the right-field fence. Heaven Zamora extended the lead to three, scoring Kaitlynn Creel on a double to shallow left field. 
• Columbia College found some rhythm in the 2nd, scoring one run in the top of the 2nd. 
• The Rams got to work again in the bottom of the 2nd inning, with a sac bunt squeeze from Robyn Andrews, allowing Hannah Brooke to score. Later in the inning, Kaitlynn Creel doubled up the middle, notching two RBIs, giving CIU a commanding 6-1 lead. 
• Columbia College shortened the lead in the 3rd, scoring a run off a missed catch on a put-out to the first base, allowing Olivia Diaz to score from third.
• CIU exploded in the 3rd inning, scoring five runs. Tanaya Ellis hit another RBI to right shallow, sending Shannon Patton home for the score. Robyn Andrews hit a sac fly to deep right, allowing Trinity Jennings and Hannah Brooke to score. Haylee Wilkerson got involved, hitting a double to deep right-center field, almost making it over the fence. Wilkerson's efforts would score Tanaya Ellis. Kaitlynn Creel hit an RBI single up the middle, giving CIU an 11-2 lead. 
• The Rams put away the Koalas in the 4th, scoring two runs. Kendall Parker blasted an RBI single toward the shortstop. Madison Swaney got apart of the action on offense, hitting a sac fly to deep left, allowing Kendall Parker to score. The Rams would beat Columbia College 13-3 in an impressive offensive victory. 

Key Players: 

• Tanaya Ellis made a big impact in the offense, finishing the day with four hits, four RBIs, and five runs. 
• Haylee Wilkerson also came up big batting with three hits, four runs, three RBIs, and one home run.   
• Robyn Andrews showed her abilities batting, with three hits and five RBIs. 

Up Next: CIU stays within friendly confines on Friday as they take on St. Andrews University at 2 & 4 PM.