Box Score PEMBROKE, N.C. - The fourth-seeded Columbus State University baseball team scored five unanswered runs to knock off 22nd-ranked and top-seeded UNC Pembroke 7-3 in the first game of the 2021 Peach Belt Conference semifinal series on Saturday at Cox Field.

After UNCP (29-12) took a 3-2 lead in the second, the Cougars scored a single run in the fifth before two in both the sixth and seventh to go on for the crucial game one win.

"We knew we had our hands full with their top guy out there today and I'm so glad our hitters competed at the plate," commented head coach Greg Appleton. "Jalen (Latta) shut their hitters down and we got a really solid outing from the bullpen to help close things out." 

After a scoreless first, Columbus State (26-14) broke the lid open on the scoring in the second thanks to a two-run shot from Dane Bullock. However, UNCP came right back in its half of the inning when Wellington Guzman took Jalen Latta deep for a three-run shot to put the hosts on top 3-2.

That would be the last hit for the Braves against Latta until the sixth as the senior got into a groove. The lefty allowed just one base runner to reach over the next three hitters while punching out three over the stretch. 

The Cougars still trailed until Isaac Bouton tied things up at three with a two-out solo homer in the fifth to help energize the CSU offense. An inning later, it was 5-3 Cougars as David Meadows and Will Wilbanks picked up RBIs. Steven Minter got the rally started on a one-double before scoring on a Meadows single to left. The speedy Meadows later scored the fifth run of the game for CSU on a groundout off the bat of Wilbanks.

UNC Pembroke's best chance to even things back up came in the sixth when Bobby Dixon and Garrett Littleton reached base with one out. Latta was up for the challenge though, striking out the next two hitters to escape the jam.

The Cougars continued to add on to its lead in the seventh. After Connor Kirley drew a leadoff walk, Bouton smacked a double into right to put two in scoring position for the heart of the order. Following a Colby Brabston groundout that made it 6-3, Brooks poked a single into right field to give the Cougars a four-run advantage. 

Jake Hershman relieved Latta in the seventh and worked two scoreless innings. He worked himself out of a two-on, no-out jam thanks to a line-out double play. 

In the bottom of the ninth, Miles Dutton punched out the first two hitters he faced before a groundout secured the Cougar victory.

Latta (4-4) earned the win after another solid performance on the hill. The lefty allowed three runs on four hits while picking up six strikeouts. 

Bouton (3-for-5, 2B, solo HR, 2 runs) and Minter (3-for-5, 2B, run) had three hits to lead the Columbus State offensive attack. Bullock (1-for-3) had two RBIs thanks to his two-run homer in the second.

UP NEXT
Columbus State will look to close out the series on Sunday at 1 p.m. to earn a spot in next weekend's PBC Tournament championship. If CSU loses game two, the two teams will play a winner-take-all game at 4 p.m. to decide who will advance to the championship series.