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COLUMBUS - The Columbus State University baseball team took both games in the doubleheader against Augusta Saturday at Burger King Stadium. The Cougars pulled another comeback taking down the Jaguars 5-4 in the opening game before winning 8-1 in the series finale to grab the series sweep.
"Our bullpen was fantastic, they kept us in game one by not allowing a single run after the third inning to give our offense a chance to complete the comeback," head coach Greg Appleton said. "We took advantage of some miscues by them and got timely hits when we needed them. But we left numerous runners out there so we've got to clean a few things up offensively when we face other pitchers."
Columbus State (12-4) will travel to Pembroke, N.C. next weekend to play their first Peach Belt Conference road series. The series will begin Friday, March 8 with first pitch scheduled for 5:00 p.m.
Game One
This Cougar squad has a flair for the dramatics and delivered another thrilling comeback to open up the doubleheader Saturday.
Trailing 4-3 in the bottom of the 8th, the Cougars got a lead off single from Garrett Kirkwood to bring the leading run to the plate. Robert Brooks who was 2-for-3 at the time proceeded to hit a two-run home run to the scoreboard in right field to put the Cougars in front 5-4. It was the second home run of the season for the sophomore, who finished the game with four RBI's.
The Cougars fell behind 4-0 heading to the middle of the third inning when they began their comeback in the bottom frame. Matthew McDade led the inning with his first collegiate home run and after a Kirkwood double it was Brooks that brought him home to cut the lead in half.
Another RBI-single from Brooks in the sixth would cut the lead to one setting the stage for the comeback in the bottom of the eighth.
The Cougars got a solid performance from their bullpen as four pitchers combined to throw four scoreless innings to keep the Cougars within striking distance. The defense helped wipe off two runs thanks to Drew Webb throwing two runners out at the plate on fly balls from right field.
Sheridan Coy (2-0) picked up the win going two innings while grabbing three strikeouts and Devin Dudal came in for the ninth inning to record his third save of the season.
Kirkwood went 4-for-4 at the plate for CSU coming around to score three of the five Cougar runs.
Game Two
Sam Sowerbrower led the way for Columbus State in the final game of the series delivering a brilliant performance on the mound. The senior bounced back in a big way going 7.0 strong innings while giving up just one run and striking out a career high nine batters.
Sowerbrower (1-0) opened the game by striking out the side in the top of the first, eventually getting to five strikeouts after two innings. The senior continued to baffle the Jaguars as he retired seven in a row heading into the seventh inning stretch.
From there Dudal came back out on the mound to throw two innings of no-hit ball with four strikeouts to cap off the series sweep.
The Cougars struck first in the bottom of the second inning thanks to a moon-shot home run into left field from Dane Bullock, his third home run of the season.
The Cougars would maintain that 1-0 lead until the fourth and fifth innings when they put up five combined runs to bust the game open. Drew Webb would smack a bases-loaded RBI single in the fourth while Chase Brown and Grant Berry brought in one each in the fifth to make it a 4-0 game. The next batter McDade would then add a 2-RBI single to give the Cougars the commanding 6-0 advantage.
They would tack on two extra in the bottom of the seventh thanks to a Berry single down the right field line. The senior finished 2-for-4 at the plate with three RBI's in the second game.
Brown went 2-for-2 in the series finale with a double while crossing home plate twice and picking up one RBI.
