TIGERVILLE, S.C. - After grabbing a thrilling 4-3 win earlier in the day to force a decisive third game in the 2022 NCAA DII Southeast Super Regional, No. 9 Columbus State University fell one victory shy of the DII College World Series as No. 1 North Greenville University defeated the Cougars 13-3 in the regional championship on Saturday. The super regional took place at Dillard Field in Tigerville, S.C.

Down to their final outs of the season in game two of the series, the Cougars used some magic to keep their year alive. Isaac Bouton launched the first pitch he saw over the left-centerfield wall for a three-run homer to give CSU a 4-3 walk-off victory.

However, NGU (50-10) quickly bounced back in game three, scoring six runs in the first to cruise to their first college world series appearance.

Columbus State wraps up another historic season with a 46-13 record after making its 28th trip to the NCAA Tournament. The Cougars smashed the program and Peach Belt Conference record with 111 homers, while Robert Brooks leaves atop of the all-time homer list in school and conference history.

Game One | CSU 4-3
Both pitching staffs did a great job of working out of jams in game one on Saturday Starting pitchers Noah Takac and Colton Joyner kept the opposing teams off the board until the fourth when the Cougars took a 1-0 lead.

David Meadows put pressure on the NGU defense after recording CSU's first hit of the afternoon with one out in the bottom of the fourth before quickly moving into scoring position after a wild pitch. The Cougars made the wild one pay as Derek Wyle laced a single through the left side of the infield to give CSU the 1-0 advantage. 

The lead didn't last long though. The Crusaders collected two singles in the top of the fifth off of Joyner before Pat Monteith stepped into the box. Monteith changed the course of the game with one swing of the bat, hitting a three-run homer to right-center to put North Greenville on top 3-1. 

The Cougars brought or had the tying run on base in the sixth, seventh and eighth, but each time NGU wiggled out of the inning unscathed. CSU's best chance came in the seventh after Matthew McDade singled and Connor Kirley walked with one out. However, Takac got back-to-back flyouts in center to keep the Crusaders in the lead.

North Greenville also had chances to break the game open late in the contest. In the eighth, a single and a hit batter put Chandler Ring into a sticky situation. Ring settled down though, retiring the next three hitters to keep the deficit at two. The Crusaders threatened again in the top of the ninth after putting two on with one out. Ring got Monteith to pop up before Marek Chlup grounded into a fielder's choice to send the game into the bottom of the ninth. 

The bottom of the ninth started with back-to-back singles for the Cougars as Win Johns and pinch-hitter Will Wilbanks quickly added pressure on NGU closer Tristen Hudson. Kirley moved both runners into scoring position with a sacrifice bunt to set the stage for Bouton.

Bouton left no doubt with his walk-off homer, blasting the game-winning homer to left-center to keep Columbus State's hopes alive.

Meadows was the lone player in the Cougar lineup with a two-hit day after a 2-for-4 performance. Wylie was 1-for-4 with his RBI single.

Monteith was 2-for-5 and drove in all three NGU runs on his three-run homer in the fifth.

Joyner pitched well for Columbus State, allowing three runs over six innings. He scattered 10 hits while striking out five. Ring (6-0) tossed three key innings out of the bullpen to grab the win. He allowed just two hits and punched out three.

Takac allowed one run over a strong seven-inning performance.

Game Two | NGU 13-3
North Greenville wasted no time in the decisive game, jumping on Cougar starter Devin Dudal with six runs in the bottom of the first. The first four hitters reached base, including Monteith hitting his second three-run home run of the day to give the Crusaders a quick 3-0 lead. 

Three more runs crossed the plate in the inning with Gehrig Octavio capping off the six-run outburst with a two-run single. 

The Cougars answered with two runs of their own in the second on a McDade homer to left.

It was 7-3 heading into the bottom of the fifth when North Greenville put things out of reach. The Crusaders plated three more runs after three hits and two Cougar errors that saw the lead increase to 10-3.

NGU capped off the scoring with another three-run shot in the seventh highlighted by a two-run homer by Ethan Stringer. 

The Crusaders tallied 13 hits in the win, with the first four hitters in the lineup all having multi-hit games. 

CSU managed five hits, all by five different players. McDade was 1-for-4 with his two-run homer.

Six different pitchers saw action in the game for CSU with Logan Seehafer, Zach Brockman and Peyton Burton all logging scoreless appearances. Dudal (8-6) took the loss after allowing six runs (two earned) on four hits.

Matthew Taubensee (3-2) was awarded the win in his relief outing. He pitched three innings, allowing just one run on one hit.