Source: National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics
Pictures courtesy of Paul Penders Photography, Click HERE to order

CLERMONT, Fla. – (Box Score) (Bracket) A three-run sixth inning propelled No. 10 seed Columbia (Mo.) to a 4-1 victory against No. 7 seed Mobile (Ala.) in the first game of the 2018 NAIA Softball World Series at Legends Way Ball Fields. The 38th annual event is hosted by PFX Athletics for the second-straight year.

Up Next:
Columbia advances to take on No. 2 seed Oklahoma City at 3:30 p.m. EDT on Saturday. Mobile falls to the elimination bracket and will face the No. 3 Marian (Ind.) / No. 6 Southern Oregon loser on Saturday at Noon EDT.

Game-Changer:
In the bottom of the sixth inning, Columbia sent eight batters to the plate in the pivotal three-run frame… With the game tied 1-1, Dakota Newton led off the inning with a walk and came around to score two batters later on a bobbled ball at second base… RBI singles off the bats of Olivia Denslow and Karli Leeper padded the Columbia lead in the sixth.

Game Notes:
The scoring started in the Mobile-half of the third inning with a Maddie Burchell RBI-single that plated Emily Fleetwood… Columbia’s Molly Carter smashed her team-leading 12th home run of the year in the fourth inning; that launch tied the score at 1-1… Columbia improves to 18-34 all-time in the World Series, including 6-11 in the opening game… With the setback, the Rams now stand 51-37 all-time… Mobile drops to 12-7 in Game 1 contests all-time and has now lost four-straight Game 1’s… Columbia picks up its first win against Mobile in the World Series – the Rams won twice previously in 2004 (5-4) and 2008 (4-2)… The Cougars become the third-straight No. 10 seed to win the World Series Game 1 – Ottawa (Kan.) in 2017 and Webber International (Fla.) in 2016.

How to Watch:
Stretch Internet, the NAIA’s official video-streaming company of NAIA national championship events, will be broadcasting all 19 games of the 2018 NAIA Softball World Series on the NAIA Network. The All-World Series package can be purchased for $29.95 or the day package for $9.95. For more information, including how to register for an account, click here.