Late Grand Slam Lifts West Alabama Over Cougars

Livingston, Ala. -- Columbus State's Jason Rogers blasted a two-run homer in the top of the seventh inning on Saturday to give the Cougars a 3-1 lead, but West Alabama's Sam McCormack answered with a grand slam in the bottom of the inning to give the Tigers a 5-3 win. The two teams finish a three-game set at Tartt Field on Sunday with a double header.

Rogers' homer followed an RBI single off the bat of Alex Montes that scored Scoop Pharr to tie the contest at 1-1. Rogers ripped a Dom Sapp offering over the center field wall and put the Cougars on top for the first time.

McCormack had given the Tigers a 1-0 lead in the second inning as he raced home after a strikeout pitch to Bryan Mason that was in the dirt. McCormack scored on the throw to first.

Reliever Brian Satterfield got groundballs on the first two hitters of the sevent as Mason grounded out and Douglas Frazier reached on an error by CSU third baseman Merit Hicks. After a Kevin Deese flyout, Satterfield allowed a single to Colin McKeen and a walk to Brian Simone to load the bases. McCormack then launched his drive to right to clear the bases and give the Tigers a 5-3 lead.

Brandon Anderson came on for UWA and pitched a scoreless eighth to earn the win. Brian Burgess picked up the save with a scoreless ninth.

Thomas Campbell was solid in his first start for CSU, going 5.1 innings and allowing just four hits and one run. He walked four and fanned eight in his Cougar debut. Satterfield suffered the loss, allowing three hits and four unearned runs in 2.2 innings.

Montes and Rogers led the seven-hit CSU offensive attack with two hits each. McCormack and McKeen led UWA with two hits each as the Tigers also had seven hits.

Sunday's twinbill is slated for a 1 p.m. (EST) start.