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By: Stephen Williams

FLORENCE, S.C. – Down a run going to the eighth inning, the Columbus State University baseball team scored four runs in the final two innings for a 6-3 win in the series opener at Francis Marion. The Peach Belt Conference game was played at Sparrow Stadium.
 
Trailing 3-2 after seven, Columbus State (26-17, 13-9 PBC) went to work in the eighth inning.
 
Bryce Delevie dropped a single into shallow centerfield. Turner Vincent followed with a single of his own and Drew Webb moved the runners to second and third with a sacrifice bunt.
 
Grant Berry drove home the tying run with a single to centerfield. The Cougars tried to move in front with a squeeze bunt, but Vincent was cut down at the plate for the second out in the inning. Tyler Fichter picked CSU up however, doubling to left field to score Berry and give the Cougars the lead.
 
In the ninth, Delevie again got another scoring rally started. The catcher singled with two down and Vincent doubled into the left-centerfield gap to add an insurance run. Vincent advanced to third on the attempt to get Delevie at the plate and came around to score as the Patriots made a throwing error trying to get him out at third.
 
Caleb Kutsche took care of things in the bottom of the ninth, striking out three straight after a leadoff single. The senior recorded his eighth complete game of the season and pushed his record to 10-1. Kutsche allowed three runs (two earned) on nine hits with seven strikeouts.
 
"Our guys showed great fight tonight," head coach Greg Appleton said. "This team believes it's in the game down to the final out and they came up with some clutch hits when we needed them late in the game."
 
Francis Marion (29-17, 9-13) struck first with a leadoff home run to start the first inning.
 
The lead was short-lived though, as the Cougars answered back with two in the second. Webb and Berry recorded back-to-back RBI singles to push CSU in front for the first time.
 
The Patriots tied the game in the fourth and got back on top after a throwing error in the seventh.
 
Berry and Vincent were each 3-for-4 on the game to lead the Cougar offense. Delevie had a 2-for-4 showing with three runs scored.
 
The two teams will play game two of the three-game series on Saturday with first pitch scheduled for 2 p.m.