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By: Stephen Williams

COLUMBUS – Mike McClellan finished off a perfect day at the plate with a walk-off single down the left field line to give the Columbus State University baseball team an 11-10 win over Montevallo on Saturday. The Peach Belt Conference contest was played at Burger King Stadium at Ragsdale Field.
 
With the game tied at 10, Jackson Oliver was hit by a pitch to give the Cougars a one-out baserunner in the ninth. Ryan Ihle then dropped a soft single into left to set the stage for McClellan's heroics.
 
"Mike [McClellan] did a great job," head coach Greg Appleton said. "He had a good at-bat in the seventh and they had to pitch to him in the ninth. He got a big hit for us and that's a good win."
 
Columbus State (28-10, 14-6 PBC) won its seventh straight game and tallied its fifth straight contest with double digit runs scored.
 
"We have a good offense and they believe in themselves," Appleton added. "They just don't quit. That's the greatest quality that we have.
 
"I wish we were holding teams to two or three runs, but we're not doing that right now and our hitters are picking us up. A win is a win and we'll take it."
 
Montevallo (20-21, 12-11) held a 9-5 lead after it put a pair of runs on the board in the top of the seventh inning.
 
The Cougars came roaring back in the bottom half. Blake Edwards singled for his fourth hit of the day to start off the inning. After a strikeout, Justin Evans drew a walk and Tyler Fichter singled home the first run to pull CSU within three.
 
Fichter stole second base to put a pair of runners in scoring position and Oliver paid it off with a two-run single that deflected off a diving second baseman. Following a pitching change, Ihle was hit by a pitch and the Cougars pulled off a double steal to put runners at second and third once again.
 
As he did in the ninth, McClellan delivered the big hit rifling a double into the left field corner to plate both runners and give Columbus State a 10-9 lead.
 
The Falcons tied the game on a groundout in the eighth and loaded the bases with two outs. Juan Montana entered the game for the Cougars with a Falcon at every base and the leadoff hitter at the plate. The senior fell behind in the count 3-0 before battling back and getting a groundout to keep the game tied.
 
Ihle came in from his shortstop position and pitched the top of the ninth for the Cougars, working a scoreless inning. Edwards set up the walk-off opportunity in outstanding fashion, diving to snag a pop-up on the infield and hopping up to double off the runner at first and send the game to the bottom of the ninth.
 
Columbus State scored the game's first run in the second inning, more than three hours before it would win the game. Edwards singled with one out and caught the Falcons napping as he swiped second base before the play was over. As UM tried to throw the senior out, the ball was slung into centerfield allowing Edwards to move all the way to third. Lake Hart then drove him home with a sacrifice fly.
 
After Montevallo took the lead with two in the third, CSU answered back with three of its own to surge back in front. Matt Nettles walked with the bases loaded to bring across the first run and a single from Edwards paired with a UM error scored two more.
 
The Falcons scored the next five runs of the game, getting three in the fourth and two in the fifth to take a 7-4 advantage.
 
Christian Miller drove in Oliver with a sacrifice fly in the sixth as the Cougars pulled one run closer before UM scored its runs in the seventh.
 
CSU had 13 hits on the day, all from five players. McClellan was a perfect 3-for-3 on the day with three RBIs. The senior reached in all six plate appearances, getting hit by a pitch and taking two intentional walks. Edwards was 4-for-5 with two runs scored, while Oliver went 3-for-4 with four runs and two RBIs. Fichter (2-for-5) also had a multi-hit day for the Cougars.
 
Ihle (1-0) earned his first victory on the mound as a Cougar pitching a scoreless ninth inning. Albert Harless started for CSU and took a no-decision after allowing seven runs on seven hits in 4.1 innings.
 
Columbus State will go for the series sweep on Sunday. First pitch is scheduled for 1 p.m.