COLUMBUS, Ga. – No. 11 (
Collegiate Baseball Newspaper Division II Top 30) Columbus State University scored eight runs in the last three innings to defeat No. 21 Flagler College 10-4 in a Peach Belt Conference baseball game Friday evening at Burger King Stadium at Ragsdale Field.
Columbus State extended its winning streak to four games and improved to 26-5 overall and 10-3 in the Peach Belt. Flagler dropped to 24-10 overall and 14-6 in conference play.
The Saints got on the board first when
Jason Moore, who led off the second inning with a single, scored from third on a ground out.
Columbus State answered in the bottom of the second. After the first two Cougars were retired, Grant Berry singled to left center and then stole second base. Austin Pharr followed with a single up the middle to plate Berry and tie the game. A throwing error by
Frankie Martello put runners on the corners and Drew Webb singled to right to score Pharr and gave the Cougars a lead, 2-1, they would never relinquish.
Perez Knowles (3-1) benefitted from additional runs in the sixth and seventh. Berry belted a two-run home run in the sixth while Mason McClellan added a two-run shot of his own in the seventh and then Robert Brooks hit a solo shot.
Knowles tossed eight innings and scattered eight hits while allowing four runs. He walked four and struck out seven.
Trailing 7-1 going into the top of the eighth, the first three Saints reached base.
Dillon Reed go on by an infield single and took second on Martello's base hit to left. Moore hit a double down the left field line to score Reed. A ground out and a sacrifice fly scored the other two runs.
The Cougars answered with three runs in the bottom of eighth off reliever
Aaron Simple.
McClellan led the Cougars going 2-for-5 with a home run and three runs batted in. Berry went 2-for-4 with a home run, two runs scored and two RBI. Webb, Pharr and Grant Kirkwood each singled twice, scored a run and drove in another.
Louis Pugliese (2-2) allowed 11 hits and six earned runs as he took the loss for the Saints.
Reed and Martello each finished with two singles and scored a run. Moore went 2-for-5 with a double, two runs scored and one more driven in.
The same two teams meet tomorrow (March 31) in the rubber game at 1 p.m.
