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WINTER PARK, Fla. – Nine innings wasn't enough for the Columbus State University baseball team on Friday night, as the Cougars needed 13 innings to pick up a 6-5 victory over Rollins. The first of the three-game series was played in Winter Park, Fla.
 
Jalen Latta (2-0) got the win out of the bullpen for the Cougars, allowing one run over four innings with six strikeouts. Drew Reeves hung on in the bottom of the 13^th for his second save of the year.
 
"We just kept battling tonight," head coach Greg Appleton said. "We came up with a couple timely hits and made some big pitches when we needed them."
 
Columbus State (8-2) took advantage of some shaky defense to plate the game's first run. Garrett Kirkwood led off the fourth inning with a walk and then stole second base. On the steal, the junior was able to move up to third behind a Rollins throwing error.
 
A pair of strikeouts left Kirkwood on third, but another defensive miscue allowed him to cross the plate with two outs for the opening run.
 
The Cougars gave the run right back with a throwing error of their own in the bottom half, and Rollins (6-4) tacked on two more runs in the sixth to take a 3-1 lead.
 
Austin Pharr cut the deficit in half with a solo home run in the seventh inning, but the Cougars still trailed by a run entering the ninth.
 
Frank Wager and Grant Berry each drew walks in the ninth inning and it was Pharr that would deliver again for the Cougars. The junior singled into right field, allowing Wager to score the tying run and sending the game to extra innings.
 
In the 11^th, Mason McClellan singled to right to start the frame and Robert Brooks worked a long at-bat into a walk to put two runners on. A wild pitch moved the pair up 90 feet and Grant Berry pushed the Cougars into the lead with a groundout.
 
However, Rollins would keep the game alive with a RBI groundout of its own in the bottom half.
 
After a scoreless 12^th, Gunar Drinnen started the 13^th with a walk for the Cougars and Wager then unloaded on a pitch to deep right field for his sixth big fly of the season.
 
It didn't come easy in the bottom of the 13^th for the Cougars, as Rollins got a solo homer to start the inning and had the bases loaded with two outs. Reeves was able to shut it down though with a strikeout to end the game.
 
Kolton Ingram started on the mound for the Cougars, allowing three runs (two earned) in six innings of work. Sheridan Coy pitched a pair of scoreless innings in relief.
 
Pharr went 3-for-5 at the plate, accounting for half of the Cougars' 16 hits.
 
The series continues on Saturday with the middle of the three games. First pitch is scheduled for 1 p.m.