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By: Josh Fuller

COLUMBUS – In one of the wildest games in years, the Columbus State University baseball team rallied twice to defeat Lynn 19-18 in 10 innings Sunday. The three-game series finale took place at Burger King Stadium at Ragsdale Field.
 
The Cougars found themselves down 9-3 entering the bottom of the fifth before starting their comeback. CSU quickly loaded the bases in the bottom half of the frame and Chris Daniel made it a 9-5 game with a two-run single up the middle. Lake Hart followed with a RBI single of his own to cut the deficit down to three before the Fighting Knights got a double play to end the inning.
 
Lynn (2-6) didn't waste time getting runs back in the sixth as Jonathan Corbitt launched a grand slam upping the lead to 13-6.
 
From there, Columbus State (5-2) scored nine unanswered runs over the next two innings to take a 16-13 lead. In the sixth, Blake Edwards plated a run on a sacrifice fly before Matt Nettles went deep over the right field wall for a two-run blast inching the score to 13-9.
 
The bottom of the seventh was the biggest inning of the day as the Cougars scored seven runs on six hits. The first three Cougars recorded hits in the inning, including Grant Berry's two-run single down the right field line. Following Berry's hit, an error and a walk loaded the bases before Berry came across the plate on a wild pitch.
 
Edwards tied the game on a sacrifice fly and Jackson Oliver put Columbus State on top 14-13 with a double down the right field line. Nettles would chase Rigo Beltran from the game and Hart greeted Payton Smith with a two-run single to center to increase CSU's lead to 16-13.
 
Lynn would have a rally of its own as the Fighting Knights scored five runs in the top of the ninth to regain an 18-16 lead. The first four hitters of the inning reached base via hits, including a RBI single by John Silviano. After a failed pickoff attempt that resulted in a run, Robert Hayes got a strikeout for the first out of the inning. However, a walk loaded the bases.
 
Eric Schindler tied the game during the next at-bat and then a throwing error by Hayes on a grounder back to him gave Lynn an 18-16 lead. 
 
Needing another rally, the Cougars delivered in the bottom of the ninth. With a runner on and one out, Nettles hit his second long ball of the day tying the game at 18 and forcing extras.
 
Hayes pitched around a two-out double in the top half of the 10^th giving the Cougars a chance for their second walk-off win of the year.

Ryan Ihle singled to left to begin the 10^th before Berry laid down on sacrifice bunt. On the play, Berry reached first due to an error on the pitcher.
 
Lynn would then decide to intentionally load the bases for pinch-hitter Mike McClellan. McClellan would earn the win the hard way, getting plunked by the pitch forcing home Ihle to give the Cougars the 19-18 victory.
 
Every Columbus State starter reached base in the game and eight of the nine recorded bases hits. Continuing his hot start to the year, Ihle went 5-for-6 and scored three times. The senior had a double and also hit a solo homer in the third.
 
Edwards was 3-for-3 with four RBIs and two runs scored. Like Ihle, Edwards also went deep in the third inning. Nettles was 3-for-5 with four RBIs, four runs, a double and two home runs.
 
Brandon Koehler got the start for Columbus State but lasted just three innings allowing five runs on five hits. Hayes (1-1) got the win tossing two innings of one-hit ball. He was the only Cougar pitcher that didn't allow an earned run.
 
Alex Turner was 3-for-3 with a homer and two RBIs while John Borup was 3-for-5 for Lynn.
 
Robert Guarnieri (0-2) was hit with the loss after not retiring anyone in the 10^th. Jaret Vermillion pitched 4.1 innings in the start allowing six runs (five earned) on nine hits.
 
Columbus State will be back in action next weekend traveling to Young Harris, Ga, for a three-game series with the Mountain Lions. The series will begin on Friday at 4 p.m.