COLUMBUS, Ga. – The University of West Florida softball team split a doubleheader with Columbus State University Wednesday afternoon in Columbus, Georgia.
 
The Argonauts (4-14, 2-7 GSC) were led by Jenna Belser (Chipley, Fla./Holmes County HS) who went 2-for-6 in two games for UWF with one home run and three RBI. Freshman Kaylen Rowell (Pensacola, Fla./Tate HS) had the highest batting average for the Argos during the day after she batted .429 in two games.
 
Game 1: West Florida 4, Columbus State 3
 
In foggy and rainy conditions, the Argos started slow in the first game against the Cougars and fell down 3-0 early in the second inning, but a pitching change sparked things for West Florida and UWF rallied to score two runs in the third. The Argos would pick up runs in the sixth and seventh inning to close out the 4-3 victory over CSU.
 
Rebecca Hein (Vestavia Hills, Ala./Vestavia Hills HS) started the game for UWF but was pulled after going 1.1 innings and gave up three runs. She was replaced by Becca Taylor (Panama City, Fla./Rutherford HS) who earned the win for UWF after she went 5.2 innings, gave up no runs, four hits, and had one strikeout.
 
Senior Lou Barnard (Apopka, Fla./Lake Sumter State College) led things offensively for West Florida by going 2-for-4 at the plate and drove in the game winning run after a solo homerun in the seventh inning.
 
Game 2: West Florida 2, Columbus State 3 (8 innings)
 
Wes Florida continued pace from game one into game two right away by scoring two runs in the first inning after Belser hit a two-run home run. Junior Kalyn Chapman (Boonville, Ind./Wabash Valley JC) pitched four scoreless innings for UWF until the Cougars tied the game at two in the bottom of the fifth. Both teams would fail to produce a run in the next two innings and after seven, UWF and CSU remained tied at 2-2.
 
The Argos couldn't find a way on the scoreboard in the top of the eighth, and the Cougars capitalized by scoring the game winning run in the bottom half of the inning.
 
Chapman was credited with the loss after a complete game allowing 10 hits, three earned runs, and struck out three batters.
 
West Florida will resume Gulf South Conference play this weekend when they host Union (Tenn.) University March 7-8.
 
For information on all UWF athletics, visit www.GoArgos.com.