COLUMBUS - A ninth-inning rally wasn't enough for the seventh-ranked Columbus State University baseball team on Sunday afternoon as the Cougars fell 6-5 to Young Harris College in the finale of a three-game Peach Belt Conference series at Burger King Stadium in Columbus.

CSU looked for some late magic in an attempt to sweep the series after heading into the bottom of the ninth down 6-4. Win Johns got the rally started with a walk before Derek Wylie laced a double into the left-centerfield gap to knock out YHC starter McClain Harris out of the game.

Brody Meeks entered the game from the bullpen and got the first batter he faced to pop up to bring the Mountain Lions one out away from a victory. However, the Cougars still had some fight left as pinch-hitter Will Wilbanks kept CSU alive after lacing a hard liner to third that Steven Spell couldn't handle, allowing Johns to score to make it a 6-5 game.

Columbus State couldn't find another hit though, as Meeks got Isaac Bouton to fly out to deep left to end the comeback attempt.

"You got to be happy taking two-of-three from those guys, but you always want a win," said head coach Greg Appleton. "Their guy did a good job of keeping us off-balance at the plate. We just needed that one hit, but that's how baseball goes some days."

Harris, who entered the game as one of the ERA leaders in the PBC, picked up his fifth win after the 8.1-inning effort. He struck out four, while scattering seven hits.

Columbus State (25-5, 10-2 PBC) jumped out to a lead on Harris in the first on a Colby Brabston solo homer. However, YHC came right back with a solo homer from Jackson Jones in the second and a two-run single from  Marco Colina to take a 3-1 lead against Cougar starter Colton Joyner.

The Cougars quickly made it a 3-2 game in the third after Connor Kirley knocked home Matthew McDade with no-outs in the third. In the fourth, CSU used a leadoff double from Robert Brooks to manufacture a run. Following the double, a David Meadows single and a Johns sacrifice fly even the game at three. 

Young Harris were the ones to use a leadoff double to its advantage in the fifth as Kyle Ayers chased Joyner from the game with a double down the right-field line. CSU reliever Chandler Ring retired the first batter he faced, but an Ethan Underwood single and a Noah Fitzgerald sacrifice fly pushed the Mountain Lions back in front.

After CSU went down in order in the fifth, Rome Wallace began the sixth with a towering homer to right to give YHC a two-run lead.

Columbus State's first attempt to tie it back up came in the seventh after Meadows led off with a single and an error on a grounder off the bat of Johns put two Cougars on with no outs. After a flyout, McDade found a hole in left-centerfield to score Meadows and put the tying run 90 feet away. However, Harris sat down the next two hitters he faced, keeping YHC in front.

Young Harris got a much-needed insurance run in the eighth following a bases-loaded walk. CSU went down in order in the eighth, while Leo Giannoni pitched a 1-2-3 inning in the top of the ninth to allow CSU the comeback opportunity. 

Joyner (5-1) took the loss after allowing four runs in four innings of work. Zach Brockman had a scoreless appearance for the Cougars out of the bullpen.

Meadows (2-for-4, run) was the lone Cougar with two hits. 

Colina drove in three for the Mountian Lions after a 1-for-4 day at the plate.

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Columbus State hosts Point University in a midweek game on Wednesday, March 30 at 5 p.m. CSU defeated Point 21-3 early in the year on March 2. 
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