PEMBROKE, N.C. - The 25th-ranked Columbus State University baseball team closed out the regular season with a 9-4 victory over 24th-ranked UNC Pembroke on Sunday at Sammy Cox Field.

The Cougars head into the Peach Belt Conference Tournament with a 25-14 overall record and finished conference play with a 19-14 mark. CSU will be the fourth seed in the upcoming tournament and will travel right back to Pembroke for a best-of-three series with the Braves beginning next Saturday, May 8. 

"You never like being swept in a series, so this was an important win on multiple fronts," commented head coach Greg Appleton. "Everyone has a clean slate starting tomorrow heading into the postseason and as always it's going to be a grind if we want to be the one left standing at the end."

Columbus State had to play from behind on Sunday as UNC Pembroke (29-11, 25-8 PBC) held a 3-0 lead after three innings. The Braves used the long ball, striking for a solo homer in the second and a two-run shot in the third off of CSU starter Jamie Boatright.

From there, the Cougar offense kicked it into gear, scoring at least one run in each of the next five innings. CSU did most of its damage in the fourth and fifth, plating three runs in each frame to move in front 6-3.

In the fourth, Steven Minter began things with a leadoff homer to left before David Meadows reached on a single. Meadows then caused havoc on the base paths, swiping second and moving to third on a wild pitch that set up a Dane Bullock sacrifice fly. After the sac fly, a passed ball allowed Will Wilbanks to reach on a strikeout that later turned costly to UNCP. Wilbanks scored in the inning on a Connor Kirley single to tie the game.

The Cougars scored three more in the fifth, thanks in part due to the threat of their speed. Minter turned a one-out walk into a run by stealing second and third before coming around to score on a Bullock single. A passed ball and a wild pitch pushed home Meadows and set up Matthew McDade with an easy RBI chance with Bullock on third. The sophomore cashed in on the chance, placing a single into centerfield to push the margin to 6-3. 

The three-run lead would be plenty for the Cougar pitching staff. After Boatright lasted three innings, Tyler Cadenhead entered the game and tossed two scoreless innings before allowing a run in the sixth. CSU didn't let the inning get away as Devin Dudal stranded two runs in scoring position by striking out River Ryan for the last out of the frame. 

Columbus State was all about the long ball in the sixth, seventh and eighth. The Cougars hit a solo homer in each inning, with Robert Brooks, Bullock and Minter all going deep to give CSU a 9-4 lead. 

Dudal was very strong in his outing on Sunday, retiring 10 of the 11 hitters he faced to pick up his first save of the year. The only blemish of his appearance came in the ninth as UNCP recorded a one-out single. He racked up five strikeouts in 3.1 innings.

Cadenhead (3-3) picked up the win after tossing 2.2 innings in relief. He allowed one run on two hits. Boatright lasted three innings in the no-decision effort.  

Four Cougars had multi-hit days with Minter leading the way the two-homer performance. Brooks (2-for-5, solo HR), Bullock (2-for-4, HR, 3 RBIs, two runs) and McDade (2-for-3, RBI) were the others with two hits.

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The Cougars will play in the semifinal series of the PBC Tournament against UNC Pembroke beginning on Saturday, May 8 in Pembroke. For more information on the PBC Tournament, please click here.