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By: Josh Fuller

COLUMBUS - The Columbus State University baseball team rallied from down 7-2 to defeat eighth-ranked USC Aiken 10-9 to cap off a three-game Peach Belt Conference series sweep. The game took place at Burger King Stadium at Ragsdale Field.

Down 7-2 heading into the bottom of the fifth, the Cougars started their comeback with a single run in the frame. Drew Webb singled and stole second before later scoring on a Justin Evans RBI groundout.

After Perez Knowles blanked USC Aiken in the sixth and seventh, Columbus State put a six spot on the board in the seventh to go ahead 9-7. With two on and two outs, USC Aiken lost its control on the mound. The next three Cougar batters were walked while Lake Hart was hit by a pitch to force three runs in to make it a 7-6 USC Aiken game.

With the bases still loaded, Gunar Drinnen sliced a single into right field to score Mason McClellan and Turner Vincent putting the Cougars ahead 8-7. Grant Berry followed with a single to left-center scoring CSU's sixth run of the inning.

USC Aiken had fight left however, as they tied the game with one swing of the bat in the eighth with a two-out, two-run homer over the left field wall.

The Cougars came right back in the bottom of the inning as Evans reached base with one out on an error. After a strikeout and a walk, Hart fisted a ball into centerfield to bring home Evans for the game-winning run.

In the ninth, the Pacers got the tying run on, but Jarrod Little retired the only three batters he faced to record his first save of the season. 

"This was our best win of the season," said head coach Greg Appleton. "The guys could've been happy with a series win after getting down early, but they showed fight to come back twice to win this game. This was a very talented and well coached USC Aiken team and I hope we can keep this momentum going into next week."

It was a rough day for Columbus State starter Luke Porter as USC Aiken tallied three runs on four hits in the top of the first. In the third, the Pacers added two more to go in front 5-0 as Porter extended the inning with a throwing error on a comebacker.

The Cougars did get the runs back in the bottom of the third with Evans blasting a two-run homer to left-centerfield to score Bryce Delevie.

USC Aiken scored another run in the fourth on a double and two more in the fifth to go up 7-2 before the Cougar comeback.  

Knowles (3-0) picked up the win after tossing three innings of two-hit ball. He struck out five while allowing two runs. Porter allowed five runs (three earned) over three innings of work. Robert Hayes tossed a scoreless inning as well.

Four Cougars had two hits in the game with Evans leading the way with a 2-for-4 performance with three RBIs while scoring three times as well. Drinnen was 2-for-5 with two RBIs while Delevie was 2-for-3 with two runs scored.

Columbus State will be back in action on Tuesday, March 21 hosting Point. First pitch will be at 4 p.m. at Burger King Stadium at Cougar Field.