VAN BUREN – In a back-and-forth thriller where the bats refused to quiet down, the Columbian Softball outlasted Van Buren 10-9 on Tuesday. Breanna McNutt emerged as the hero of the day, delivering a powerhouse performance at the plate to drive the Tornadoes to victory.

McNutt finished the game with four RBIs on two hits. Her biggest contribution came in the top of the third inning when she smoked a double that cleared the bases, plating three runs and giving Columbian a 4-1 lead. She later added a crucial RBI single in the fifth to keep the momentum squarely with the Tornadoes.

The game was a true offensive showcase, as Columbian struck first in the opening frame when Emma Daugherty singled to drive in the game’s first run. Daugherty was nearly perfect at the plate all day, leading the team with three hits in four at-bats.

The Tornadoes "flipped the game on its head" in the top of the fifth inning. Columbian erupted for six runs on eight hits in the frame to surge ahead 10-5. The definitive blow of the inning came from Corinne Plott, who battled through a six-pitch at-bat before launching a double that drove in two runs.

In the circle, Maizie Mellott earned the win in relief. Mellott threw three innings, striking out five and showing great poise as the opposition attempted a late-inning comeback. Camryn Haman started the contest, striking out four over two solid innings of work, while Gabby Shock also appeared in relief to help navigate the high-scoring affair.

Columbian finished with 13 hits in total. Haman and Olyvia Steinmetz each contributed multi-hit games to bolster the attack, and the defense remained sharp when it mattered most, including a well-executed double play.

The Tornadoes will look to carry this offensive momentum into another road test on Wednesday as they travel to face Norwalk.