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COLUMBUS - The third-ranked Columbus State University baseball team took down Saint Leo in thrilling fashion in both games during a doubleheader at Burger King Stadium at Ragsdale Field. The Cougars took the opening game 11-10 in ten innings while following it up with a 7-4 victory in the second game.
"I couldn't be more thrilled at coming away with two wins in this doubleheader," said head coach Greg Appleton. "I wanted our team to show toughness and to find ways to grind out wins. When you're down 9-0 in the seventh and come away with a win, that's grit right there. We showed fight all day coming from behind and hopefully that will be the spark we need to keep things rolling."
Columbus State (4-4) will remain at home to finish out the series Sunday. The final game is scheduled for a 1:00 p.m. first pitch.
Game One
Through five innings it was a pitchers duel at Ragsdale Field with just one combined run between the two teams thanks to a solo homer for the Lions. Kolton Ingram struck out eight batters including striking out the side in the fifth.
Yet all of a sudden in the sixth inning, Ingram and the Cougars ran into trouble as the Lion bats got hot. After a leadoff walk, four straight hits by Saint Leo and a home run to follow would plate six giving the Lions a commanding 7-0 lead. It would extend to 9-0 in the seventh putting CSU in a big hole late in the game.
But, the resiliency of the Cougar squad showed in big fashion as they flexed their muscles when they came to bat after the seventh inning stretch. Back to back singles by Grant Berry and Frank Wager followed by Matthew McDade getting hit by a pitch loaded the bases for CSU with no outs. After another hit by pitch and an error, the Cougars got their first three runs of the game to get on the board.
With two outs, the heavy hitting took over as Robert Brooks hit his second double of the game into right field scoring two more runs. A single by Berry after the Cougars batted through the lineup made it 9-6. The Lions proceeded to make a pitching change but it didn't matter to Wager, who sent a moon-shot on a hanging pitch to deep right field to tie it up.
After another home run from Saint Leo, the Cougars had to respond and did so in the bottom of the eight thanks to an RBI single from Garrett Kirkwood.
With the game heading into extras, Sheridan Coy gave CSU a chance to win thanks to picking up his third and fourth strikeouts of the game in the tenth. A single by G. Kirkwood and the third double of the game from Brooks put the Cougars in a prime situation to win. Wager, already tying the game earlier in the seventh, delivered once again with a single up the middle to bring home G. Kirkwood for the thrilling fashion walkoff victory.
Brooks had quite the day at the plate going 4-for-6 with three doubles and two RBIs. Wager finished 3-for-4 with four RBIs, including the game-tying home run in the seventh and the game winning single in the tenth. G. Kirkwood went 3-for-5 with two runs and one RBI.
Coy (1-0) picked up his first win on the season, coming in relief for the Cougars and going 2.2 strong innings on the mound without giving up a hit while striking out four.
Game Two
Robert Brooks continued his hot hitting singling home Garrett Kirkwood in the bottom of the first to open up the scoring in the second game of the doubleheader.
Just like the first game, Saint Leo found its way into a multi-run lead plating two runs in the top of the fifth to go ahead 4-2. With the second game being played to just seven innings, the Cougars quickly rallied once again in the bottom of the fifth.
Back-to-back doubles from Kendall Ford and G. Kirkwood cut the deficit in half. Dane Bullock erased the remaining run quickly with an RBI single down the right field line. Another pitching change before a Wager at-bat finished the exact same way as the opening game. The senior crushed an 0-1 pitch to the deepest part of Burger King Stadium giving the Cougars the 6-4 lead to break the tie.
The Cougars would add an insurance run up on the board in the sixth thanks to Kirkwood's third RBI of the game.
G. Kirkwood finished 4-for-4 with three RBIs and one run while Wager went 1-for-3 with two RBIs, including the go-ahead home run in the fifth.
Devin Dudal (1-0) picked up his first victory as a Cougar going 1.2 innings of scoreless ball with two strikeouts. Coy came on to pick up his second save of the season striking out all three batters he faced in the seventh.
