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By:
Josh FullerCOLUMBUS – Twenty-fifth-ranked Lander used a solo home run by Colby Lusignan in the top of the ninth to edge by the seventh-ranked Columbus State University baseball team 9-8 in the opening game of a three-game Peach Belt Conference series. The game took place at Burger King Stadium at Ragsdale Field.
CSU (20-6, 8-2 PBC) entered the bottom of the eighth needing to rally down 8-6. Pinch hitter
Justin Evans jumpstarted the inning by legging out an infield hit to third before
Ryan Ihle chopped a single through the left side of the infield. After a
Hunter Bowling sacrifice bunt that put the tying runs in scoring position, Lander turned to its closer, Brandon White.
The right-hander did his job getting
Tyler Fichter to hit a grounder to short, however Matt White threw an errant throw allowing both Evans and Ihle to score to tie the game at eight. Ficther eventually advanced to third, but was stranded sending the game into the ninth tied.
It didn't take long for Lander (22-5, 13-3) to retake the lead as Lusignan led the ninth off with an opposite-field homer to put the Bearcats up 9-8. Lander threatened to add on, but
Kolton Ingram and
Jarrod Little pitched out of the jam.
Christian Miller was able to get a two-out single in the ninth for CSU, but that was it as Lander won its 14
th straight game.
"It was a battle tonight," said CSU head coach
Greg Appleton. "We needed to pitch a little better with the lead tonight, but give Lander credit. They are a good team and we are looking forward to getting back out there tomorrow."
Lander took a quick 1-0 lead in the top of the first as Matt White began the game with a triple down the right field line. He scored during the next at-bat as Zach Daly grounded out.
Columbus State came right back though with a two-spot in the second to go in front 2-1. With two outs,
Grant Berry legged out an infield hit to second off of LU starter Will Jones. Ihle made the hit count as the senior launched his fifth homer over the left field wall to give CSU the lead.
After Lander made it a 2-2 game in the third thanks to a Lusignan RBI single, the Cougars added two more to take a 4-2 lead. Fichter reached second to begin the frame as a bad hop turned into a double for the junior. After moving to third on a wild pitch,
Jackson Oliver walked to put runners on the corners for the Cougars.
Bearcat catcher John Mangum became too anxious with the ball and tried to pick off Fichter from third. However, his throw hit Fichter and rolled away allowing the Cougar to score.
Matt Nettles followed with a single through the right side of the infield to plate Oliver.
From there, Lander scored three runs in the fourth and two in the fifth to go ahead 7-4. The first four LU batters reached base to begin the fourth off of Cougar starter
Caleb Kutsche with Mason Dodd capping the stretch off with a two-run single tying the game at four. Lander took the lead in the inning thanks to a Ryan Troutman sacrifice fly.
It was Dodd again in the fifth as Lander stretched the lead out to 7-4. With two outs, Dodd singled right back up the middle against CSU reliever
Robert Hayes to score a pair of runs.
CSU immediately made it a one-run game in their half of the fifth as Nettles drove in another run with a single, while
Mike McClellan legged out a double that scored Oliver.
Lander scored a single run in the sixth after a double play scored White, who led the inning off with a single. The Bearcats would hold the 8-6 advantage until CSU's rally in the eighth.
Nettles (2-for-5), Ihle (2-for-5) and Fichter (2-for-4) all had two hits for the Cougars. Nettles and Ihle each drove home a pair while Fichter had a RBI and a run scored.
Kutsche had a rough outing for Columbus State allowing seven runs over 4.2 innings of work in the start. LU had nine hits against the junior but Kutsche did strikeout a season-high seven in the game.
Chaz Wilson pitched a perfect eighth for CSU with two strikeouts.
For Lander, Dodd was 3-for-4 with four runs driven in while White was 3-for-5 with a double, triple and three runs scored.
Jones pitched 5.2 innings in the start allowing six runs (five earned) on nine hits.
Columbus State and Lander will return to action on Saturday at Burger King Stadium at Ragsdale Field. First pitch is scheduled for 6 p.m. Â
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