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FLORENCE, S.C. - The Columbus State University baseball team split a doubleheader against Francis Marion on Saturday. The Cougars dropped the first game 8-2 before coming back strong in the second game winning 4-2. The Peach Belt Conference games took place at Sparrow Stadium. 

"The first game was indicative of what we've talked about all season long, stringing together hits," said head coach Greg Appleton. "We left way too many chances on the board in that opening game and that will cost you against good teams like Francis Marion.

Columbus State (24-14, 10-10 PBC) will finish out the series against Francis Marion on Sunday, April 14. First pitch in the rubber match is scheduled for 1:00 p.m.

Game One

The Cougars were the ones who got on the board first in the opening inning after they loaded the bases with just one-out. 

Grant Berry would come home on a wild pitch that also put two more in scoring position. But back-to-back strikeouts would strand the runners leaving the Cougars with just one run. 

The Patriots would immediately take advantage in the bottom frame quickly singling and then hitting a two-run home run to take the lead. They would stay in front for the remainder of the game. 

CSU ran into trouble in the bottom of the fourth after the first two runners reached base and moved into scoring position on a passed ball. From there, two wild pitches, an error and back-to-back singles would bust the game open giving the Patriots a 6-1 lead. 

They would get one run back in the sixth on the RBI-groundout from Garrett Kirkwood but FMU would again hit a two-run home run to go up 8-2. 

The Cougars would have multiple chances in the final four innings of the game to cut into the deficit. They had two on the base paths in the sixth, and then bases-loaded in each of the final three innings. But each time Francis Marion worked themselves out of the jams, twice with no outs. 

Berry and Drew Webb each finished 2-for-4 with one run in the opening game. 

Game Two

Just like the opening game, the Cougars would once again jump in front of the Patriots in the first inning. With the bases-loaded this time CSU took advantage drawing a walk and an RBI-single from Frank Wager to go ahead 2-0. 

After the first inning, Sam Sowerbrower would get to work on the mound for Columbus State. The senior pounded the strike zone, retiring seven of eight batters to send the game to the fourth inning. 

That's where the Patriots would strike for the first time in the game, grabbing an RBI-single to cut the lead in half. But Sowerbrower would bounce-back in a big way, striking out the side in the fifth.

The Cougars would tack on two more runs in the sixth after Webb led the inning off with a double into left field. Bryce Delevie would groundout to bring in Webb and later Kendall Ford would notch an RBI-single to make it 4-1. 

After giving up a solo home run in the sixth, Sowerbrower would retire the final six batters he faced, keeping CSU in front 4-2 after seven innings. 

Devin Dudal came into the game in relief for the senior and induced the Patriots into a double play in the eighth. Dudal would finish things off for the Cougars in the ninth, going three-up, three-down to pick up his 10^th save of the season. 

Sowerbrower (4-1) went 7.0 innings giving up just four hits while striking out 10 batters. It was the second straight start that he reached double-digit strikeouts.