Cathedral High School ran out of gas against Columbia Academy Monday night when the Cougars broke a 4-4 tie in the top of the sixth inning and added one more in the seventh to earn the district win 6-4.

“It was a heck of a ball game, and we didn’t hit,” Cathedral head coach Gary Blackwell said. “I take my hat off to (Columbia); they out-hit us. That’s the difference in this game.”

Cathedral displayed some pop off the bat of Elizabeth Smith in the top of the first inning. Smith skied a 1-0 pitch over the left-field fence for a two-run homer, giving the Lady Green Wave a 2-0 lead.

Down 2-1 in the top of the third inning, Columbia pitcher Jordan McNabb sparked a three-run rally, capped by an RBI double from Jaden Pounds.

Cathedral was able to tie the game when Madeline Smith scored on an error, but the Lady Green Wave stranded two runners in scoring position in the bottom of the fourth inning.

“We just have to start hitting better,” Blackwell said. “The last few games we haven’t hit the ball like we were at the beginning of the season. If we want to get to the top, we have to hit tomorrow.”

Cathedral held Columbia scoreless in the top of the fifth inning with a trifecta of defensive gems. Caroline Kaiser hauled in a diving catch, followed by a stab and throw from second baseman Haley Ellis. The inning ended when Baylee Graning snagged a smoked line drive at third.

Columbia’s timing on Smith was in sync the fourth time through the order, scratching across runs in the sixth and seventh innings before retiring the No. 2 through No. 4 hitters of Cathedral’s lineup in order to end the game.

“They finally picked up on her,” Blackwell said. “That’s why we made the change at the end. We put Marty (Lewis) in there so they could see something different.”

Smith struck out seven Cougars over 6.2 innings. Emily Rasco was 1-for-3 with an RBI single.

Cathedral falls to 2-1 in district play heading into today’s game against Adams County Christian School.

“(ACCS) knows this is a big game, so this will be another battle,” Blackwell said.