ST. AUGUSTINE, Fla. - A late rally wasn't enough for the ninth-ranked Columbus State University baseball team as the Cougars dropped the opener of a three-game series 5-4 to Flagler College on Friday at Drysdale Field.

Despite the loss, Columbus State clinched the program's fourth PBC regular-season championship thanks to Young Harris College's loss to Georgia Southwestern University. It's the first PBC regular-season title for the Cougars since 2016.

The two starting pitchers threw up zeros over the opening four frames until the offenses woke up in the fifth. The Cougar struck first as Connor Kirley put the guests on the board with a two-out RBI single that scored Derek Wyile. 

Flagler (24-24, 16-9 PBC) tied the game in its half of the fifth, but the game-changing moment happened in the sixth. CSU (36-9, 18-6) had two on with one out in the frame but was unable to push a run across the plate. 

The Saints made the missed opportunity hurt, scoring four runs on three hits to move in front 5-1 in the bottom of the sixth. A throwing error on a sacrifice bunt played a big role in the inning, while FC added another run after a wild pitch. 

Columbus State showed fight though, cutting the margin to 5-3 in the eighth. Wylie legged on a key two-out infield hit to score a run before a balk forced home Steven Minter for the second run of the inning. 

Chandler Ring tossed his second perfect inning to send the game to the ninth with the Cougars still alive. CSU quickly put the tying run on as Matthew McDade singled to begin the side and later had the tying run on base when Isaac Bouton drew a one-out walk.

After a pitching change, Robert Brooks extended the game with a two-out single to right to push the tying run just 90 feet from home. However, Dylan Faulker slammed the door shut with a strikeout for his third save of the year.

Gage Voorhees (7-1) tossed eight strong innings for the Saints, allowing three runs on seven hits. He struck out eight.

Devin Dudal (8-4) was hit with the loss after allowing five runs (two earned) over 5.1 innings. 

Minter (2-for-5, run) and Wylie (2-for-3, run, RBI, BB) were the lone Cougars with multi-hit days.

UP NEXT
Columbus State and Flagler play the middle game of the three-game set on Saturday at 2 p.m.

GAME NOTES
• Columbus State's home run streak was snapped on Friday. Before the loss, CSU had homered in 21 straight games
• The Cougars out-hit the Saints 9-5
• It was just the third game this season the Cougars failed to record an extra-base hit
• Brooks has reached base in 19 straight games
• It was Flagler's fourth straight win in PBC play. FC is now in a four-way tie for second place in the standings