COLUMBUS - The Columbus State University baseball team couldn't stop a steady offensive attack by UNC Pembroke on Sunday dropping the series finale 8-5. The game was played at Ragsdale Field at Burger King Stadium in Columbus.

After Columbus State (7-3, 2-1 PBC) scored the opening run of the game in the second, UNC Pembroke (7-4, 1-2) scored at least a run in every frame over the next six innings.

"They can swing the bat," commented head coach Greg Appleton. "It's tough beating a team of their caliber three times in a row, but we had our chances and just didn't deliver."

Extra-base hits haunted the Cougars throughout the day. A triple tied the game at one in the third before the Braves hit a solo homer in the fourth inning to go up 2-1. 

The Cougars got a solo homer of their own in the bottom of the fourth off the bat of Dane Bullock to tie things at two. 

However, UNC Pembroke delivered a big blow in the fifth. With two on against Cougar reliever Peyton Burton, Gage Hammonds homered over the left-field wall to put UNCP ahead 5-2.

After another solo homer put the Cougars down 6-2, CSU began to rally in the bottom of the sixth. With one out, Robert Brooks hit a single to left before a flyout brought Drew Webb to the plate. The senior pulled a 2-1 pitch to left for his second home run of the season. 

The Braves kept putting the pressure on the Cougar bullpen. In the seventh, an RBI single made it 7-4 before the Braves hit their fourth homer of the game in the eighth to make it a four-run game.

Columbus State made things interesting in the ninth after Will Willbanks and Matthew McDade earned leadoff walks. David Meadows would single with one out to load the bases, but CSU was only able to come away with a sacrifice fly.

Jamie Boatright got the start for the Cougars tossing four innings allowing two runs on four hits. Five relievers saw action, including Russell Forthofer who tossed a scoreless ninth. Burton (0-1) was tagged with the loss. 

Meadows (2-for-5) and Brooks (2-for-5, run) both picked up two hits in the game.

Up Next

Columbus State will get ready for another PBC series at Burger King Stadium against Flagler. The three-game set will begin on Friday, Feb. 21 at 6 p.m. 

Cougar Trends & Notes

• The Cougars have taken two-of-three in both three-game series they have played in so far this season.
• It was Bullock's first home run of the season after the senior hit a team-high 11 in 2019.
• Brooks has scored a run in every game he has played in this season. He is third on the team with nine runs scored for the year.
• The Cougar pitching staff allowed a season-high 13 hits. 
• It was the third time this season that the Cougars hit two or more homers in a game. 
• The Cougars are now 52-32 all-time against UNC Pembroke.