GREENWOOD, S.C. – The Columbus State baseball team suffered a heartbreaking 4-3 loss to second-seeded Lander University on Saturday afternoon in the 2026 Peach Belt Conference Tournament from Dolney Stadium.
HOW IT HAPPENED
- Columbus State starter Connor Folds got out of a bases-loaded jam in the opening inning before giving up the first run of the game to Lander in the second inning on a sac fly.
- Folds settled in and kept the Bearcats off the scoreboard for the next five innings of action to keep the game close.
- The Cougars eventually evened the score at 1-1 in the sixth inning when senior Miichael Cruz delivered a two-out RBI single up the middle to score fellow senior Cayden Evans from third.
- In the eighth, CSU delivered more two-out magic as sophomore Luke Miller and junior Jacob Smith provided back-to-back RBI singles to put the Cougars ahead 3-1.
- Lander responded in the bottom half of the frame with three runs on just two hits to regain the lead by a 4-3 score, stealing two bases and taking advantage of two wild pitches.
- Columbus State went down in order in the top of the ninth to move into the loser's bracket.
NOTES
- Miller and Smith each finished the game 2-for-4 with one RBI each, while Cruz added the third RBI for Columbus State.
- Evans, Knox, and junior Cole Eison each scored a run, while Chizek recorded a stolen base in the contest.
UP NEXT
Sixth-seeded Columbus State faces an elimination game tomorrow at 2:00 p.m. when the team takes on the winner of this evening's contest between No. 3 seed USC Aiken and No. 7 seed Georgia College.
