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By: Josh Fuller

DUE WEST, S.C. – After dropping the season opener, the Columbus State University baseball team rallied on Saturday winning a pair of games to take a three-game series from Erskine. The doubleheader was played at Grier Field in Due West, S.C.

The Cougars improve to 2-1 on the season while Erskine is now 5-2.

Columbus State will return home to open Burger King Stadium at Ragsdaie Field on Wednesday, Feb. 10 against Albany State. First pitch is scheduled for 4 p.m.

Game One

Columbus State found itself down one after the opening frame in game one after a two-out Erskine rally. With Albert Harless making his Cougar debut on the mound, Chris Rave drove a double into the right-center gap off the righty. Rave moved to third on a wild pitch, and Henry Faunce drove in the game's opening run with a single up the middle.

The Cougars rallied in the second, scoring three to go in front 3-1. Making his season debut, Matt Nettles led the frame off with a single up the middle before Grant Berry was hit with a pitch with one out. Alex Calvert was able to get a popup, but Blake Edwards came up with a clutch double down the left field line scoring both Nettles and Berry. Lake Hart followed with a double of his own to plate Edwards and make it a 3-1 game.

The Flying Fleet didn't go away, however, answering with a four spot of their own in the bottom half of the second. Chase Watts got things started with a one-out triple before scoring on a fielding error. Harless was able to get the second out of the inning, but Erskine followed with three straight run-scoring hits, including a RBI double by Sam Cothran. Rave picked up his second hit of the game during the inning putting the Flying Fleet up 5-3 with a run-scoring single.

Both pitchers settled in pitching scoreless innings in the third and fourth. In the top of the fifth, the Cougars closed the gap within one after Christian Miller went deep with his first CSU homer making the score 5-4.

Luke Porter would then enter the game for Columbus State in the fifth, but the junior was greeted rudely. Faunce doubled to start the frame before Porter would become his worst enemy. He walked the next batter he faced and then committed a fielding error to load the bases with no outs.
 
After getting a strikeout, Watts laced one back through the middle to plate two and increase Erskine's lead to 7-4. Porter was able to get one more out before Justin Evans came in to get the final out of the fifth.

In the Cougar sixth, CSU was able to get a run back on a fielder's choice.

Entering the final inning down by two, Nettles once again led the frame off with a single. However, Landon Dickerson was able to enduce a double play ball off the bat of Miller to move within one out of the victory.

Needing base runners, Berry drew a two-out walk. Ihle and Edwards followed with singles loading the bases for Hart. Down to his final strike, Hart came through for the Cougars singling through the right side of the infield to score the tying runs.

On the next pitch, Jackson Oliver cleared the bases and gave the Cougars a 9-7 lead as he drove a double to right field.

Erskine wouldn't go down quietly in the seventh. With two outs, Watts collected his fourth hit of the game before moving to second on a wild pitch. Tyler Phillips made it a one run game driving home Watts with a single.

Looking for magic, Erskine called upon pinch hitter Chris Mooney. However, Evans froze Mooney on a 0-2 pitch to slam the door and record his first collegiate victory.

Evans (1-0) tossed 2.1 innings allowing one run on two hits. He also picked up two strikeouts. Harless lasted four innings in his debut allowing five runs (two earned) on nine hits.

Edwards had a great day at the plate going 3-for-4 with two RBIs and three runs scored. Hart was 2-for-2 with two walks and three RBIs as well. Nettles was 2-for-4.

Watts was a perfect 4-for-4 for the Flying Fleet with two RBIs, two runs and a stolen base.

Calvert pitched five innings for Erskine allowing four runs on six hits. He struck out six while walking two in the no-decision. Dickerson (0-1) took the loss allowing three runs in a inning of work.

Game Two

Game two was all Columbus State as the Cougars scored 15 runs in the final five innings to take the rubber game of the three-game series. 

Both pitchers were throwing well to begin the game as the two sides combined for just two base runners through the first two innings.

However, CSU broke through in the third scoring a pair of runs. Hunter Bowling recorded a one-out single through the left side of the infield before Oliver advanced Bowling and reached base himself following an error on a sacrifice bunt.

Tyler Fichter made the error hurt, lacing a two-run single through the infield to put the Cougars up 2-0 after two and a half innings.

Erskine was able to get to Columbus State starter Brandon Koehler in the third with two outs. Brett Silas doubled to start the rally and Trevor Wood followed with a base hit to left-center that plated Silas. However, Koehler limited the damage to just one after getting a groundout to end the inning.

Columbus State's biggest inning of the game came in the fourth as 11 Cougars stepped to the plate in the frame with CSU scoring six runs to take a commanding 8-1 lead.

Josh Alley had control issues in the inning after back-to-back singles by Ihle and Edwards started the inning. A passed ball scored Ihle before Alley walked Bowling and hit Oliver to load the bases.

Erskine would then turn to Cory Sox, but he couldn't find the zone either walking Fichter to force home a Cougar run. Sox continued to have troubles, throwing consecutive wild pitches that saw two more CSU runs score that made it 6-1. 

Nettles drove home the fifth run of the inning with a groundout while Ihle pushed the score to 8-1 with a RBI single.

After Erskine got a run in the fourth, Columbus State added on more in the sixth to take an 11-2 lead. Edwards drove home another run with a double while two more Cougars crossed the plate thanks to a passed ball and a wild pitch.

In the seventh, CSU closed out the scoring as Chris Daniel, Ihle and Edwards each picked up run-scoring hits.

Eight of the nine Columbus State starters recorded a hit in the game with Ihle and Edwards each going 3-for-4. Ihle had two RBIs and scored three times with a double and a stolen base. Edwards drove in three while scoring twice. Fichter was 1-for-4 with three RBIs.

Koehler (1-0) was able to go the distance tossing seven innings allowing two runs on six hits. The junior struck out three, but didn't issue a walk.

Alley (1-1) allowed five runs (four earned) in three innings of work for Erskine. The Flying Fleet bullpen was hit with 10 runs (seven earned) in four innings.

Wood was 1-for-3 with a RBI.