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By: Josh Fuller

COLUMBUS – A two-run home run in the top of the ninth from freshman Drew Webb gave the Columbus State University baseball team a 5-3 win over UNC Pembroke in the third and final game of a Peach Belt Conference series. The game took place at Sammy Cox Field in Pembroke, N.C.
 
In a tie game heading to the ninth, the Cougars (9-7, 5-1 PBC) got a one-out walk from Dylan Tomlin to put the go-ahead run on base. Following a fly out, Webb stepped to the plate and changed the game with one swing of the bat. The freshman hit his first collegiate homer to left-center to give the Cougars the lead.
 
Pereze Knowles, who was in his second full inning of work, closed out the ninth for the Cougars after walking the leadoff batter.
 
"This was a great win to grab a crucial conference series," said head coach Greg Appleton. "We pitched great again and got the timely homer from Drew that won the game for us. I feel like we are pitching really well right now and playing some good ball."
 
It wasn't a great start for Columbus State as the Cougars left a pair of base runners on in the first two innings while UNC Pembroke capitalized on two costly Cougar errors in the second. An error started the inning before another error and a squeeze gave the Braves a 2-0 lead.
 
It didn't take long for the Cougars to answer though. In the third, Justin Evans singled through the left side to reach base to start the inning. After a fly out, Mason McClellan blasted a homer to the opposite field to tie the game.
 
Both pitchers would settle in from there, including CSU starter Luke Porter. Porter put two zeros on the board before UNCP retook the lead in the fifth. The Braves got a double to start the frame before a groundout and a sacrifice fly made it a 3-2 UNCP game.
 
Once again, Mason McClellan and the Cougars battled back. To lead off the sixth, McClellan hit his second home run of the day, this time to left, to tie the game at three.
 
CSU had to dance around trouble in both the seventh and eighth. In the seventh, the Braves had two on with just one out. However, Knowles came into the game and got a double play ball to escape the jam. An inning later, a single, stolen base and a throwing error put the go-ahead run on third for UNCP with just one out. After an intentional walk to set up the double play, Knowles delivered again to send the game tied to the ninth for the Cougars heroics.
 
Porter pitched well in the no-decision allowing just three runs (one earned) on five hits. Knowles (2-0) gets the wins after pitching 2.2 scoreless innings.
 
McClellan finished the day 3-for-4 with two homers and three RBIs. Five other Cougars had hits in the game, including Webb who went 1-for-3 with two RBIs.
 
Columbus State will return to the diamond on Tuesday, March 7 taking on West Georgia. First pitch is scheduled for 4 p.m. in Carrollton.