Box Score 1 | Box Score 2

NEW YORK - The Fairleigh Dickinson softball team split its doubleheader on the final day of the Columbia Classic with a walk-off win over Canisius in game one and a saw Columbia hit a late-inning home run to top the Knights in game two of the day.

Fairleigh Dickinson is now 5-17 on the season with the split doubleheader. The Knights beat each Canisius and Columbia once over the weekend. Madelaine Wilen (Bakersfield, Calif./Ridgeview) and Stephanie Collins (Washington, N.J./Warren Hills) scored twice over the two games and Cheryl Lopez (Staten Island, N.Y./Tottenville) and Kellie Natham (Arcadia, Calif./Maranatha) each drove in a pair on the afternoon for the Knights.

Game 1 (FDU 4, Canisius 3)

Freshman Kellie Natham (Arcadia, Calif./Maranatha) hit a 2-out double to right center field that drove in two runs to give Fairleigh Dickinson a 4-3 over Canisius.

Natham came up in the bottom of the seventh with the bases loaded and two outs after Francine Villalobos (Danville, Calif./San Ramon Valley) drew a walk. Stephanie Collins (Washington, N.J./Warren Hills) singled with out, Madelaine Wilen (Bakersfield, Calif./Ridgeview) then flew out. Holly Mericer then singled to center, which moved Collins to second. The two runners then advanced to second and third on a pass ball.

Natham is now tied for the team lead with 12 RBI on the season.

Fairleigh Dickinson got on the board first in the in the bottom of the third inning. Collins walked on four pitches to lead off the frame and scored when Wilen doubled down the left-field line. The Knights did get runners to second and third later in the inning but stranded them there.

Canisius took the lead in the top of the fourth with a lead-off double and a bunt, that allowed the batter to move to second, followed by a single to shortstop. The second came when the Golden Griffins stole second and had the runner at third score on a throwing error.

The Knights immediately tied the game in the bottom half of the frame when Courtney Slye (Mission Viejo, Calif./Capistrano Valley) singled down the left-field line to score Madison Lerma (Escondido, Calif./Escondido), who singled to start the inning.

The Golden Griffins took the lead back in the top of the sixth off an error and a single with two outs prior to Natham's hit in the bottom of the seventh.

Lopez (3-6) picked up the win after allowing a single unearned run in three innings of relief start Loren Stavrou (Long Beach, Calif./Wilson Classical), who went four innings and allowed two runs -- one earned.

Game 2 (Columbia 7, Fairleigh Dickinson 6)

Fairleigh Dickinson enjoyed a 5-4 lead in the bottom of the sixth inning before Columbia took the lead back when Taylor Troutt hit a three-run home run to give the Lions a 7-5 lead. The Knights tried to mount a comeback in the top of the seventh when Madelaine Wilen (Bakersfield, Calif./Ridgeview) hit a solo homer but that was it.

The Knights scored five in the third inning to take a 5-2 lead at the time. Wilen doubled, stole third and came home on a Holly Mercier (Corona, Calif./Santiago) single. Madison Lerma (Escondido, Calif./Escondido) then singled with the bases loaded to score Mercier. Reanna Cervantes (Upland, Calif./Upland) then hit a sacrifice fly to give the Knights a 3-2 lead. Cheryl Lopez (Staten Island, N.Y./Tottenville) made it 5-2 with a two-RBI single up the middle to score Lerma and Kellie Natham (Arcadia, Calif./Maranatha).

Cervantes' RBI is her 13th of the season, which leads Fairleigh Dickinson. The top five hitters in the lineup all scored for the Knights -- Wilen scored twice -- leads team with 14 -- and raised her average to a team-leading .405.

Columbia responded with a pair in the bottom of the third off new Knight pitcher Loren Stavrou (Long Beach, Calif./Wilson Classical) to make it a 5-4 Knight lead.

That score line would hold until the Troutt's home run in the sixth and Wilen's in the seventh.

Lopez (3-7), who got the win in game one of the day, took the loss after giving up three-run home run after pitching two perfect frames prior. Kayla Maloney (1-4) picked up the win after pitching four and a third innings of relief and allowing just one earned run.

Fairleigh Dickinson returns to action with a pair of doubleheaders on the road next week. The Knights visit Quinnipiac on March 29 and Siena on March 31.