Cougars Fall 5-3 to GCSU to End Season at Regional

Florence, S.C. -- Columbus State gave up four early runs and the saw Georgia College make a pair of brilliant defensive plays to preserve their lead as the Bobcats held off the Cougars 5-3 in the Southeast Regional. The loss eliminates CSU from the tournament, while the Bobcats remain unbeaten and will face host Francis Marion for the region title on Sunday.

"We gave it all we had," said CSU head coach Greg Appleton. "You have to give them (GCSU) credit - they did what they needed to do to win. I just hate to see this team not get a chance to play another game."

CSU might be playing another game if not for the two nearly unbelievable plays in back-to-back innings for the Bobcats.

In the fifth inning, the Cougars strung some hits together and had scored two runs already when Ryan Lewis stepped to the plate with runners on first and second. Lewis ripped a hard bouncer up the middle but Bobcat shortstop Chandler Snell dove behind the bag and stabbed the ball, flipped backhand to second baseman Jason Veyna, who caught the toss bare-handed and fired to first to complete the double play and end the inning. That play prevented one run from scoring and the rally continuing with just one out.  Alex Montes and Jason Rogers had the RBI hits in the inning for the Cougars.

In the sixth, Mitch Rider drew a leadoff walk and Wes Adkins belted a towering blast to straightaway center field - the deepest part of the park. The ball appeared headed out for a two-run homer, but GCSU center fielder Sean Harrell ran back to the wall and leaped high to rob the home run. That play prevented two runs that would have tied the contest at that point. 

Adkins' shot was one of four or five balls the Cougars hit that looked like potential homers. "We hit some balls tonight that are out of almost any park in America except this one," said Appleton. Cameron Griffin and Mitch Rider also hit long shots that did not quite carry out of the dead air at Cormell Field.

CSU added another run in the seventh on an RBI single by Lewis to make it 5-3. Rider then hit his shot that traveled about as far as it could without being a homer and was caught at the wall in left-center. 

Meanwhile, after Cougar starter David Lane had allowed five hits and four runs in just an inning and a third, senior lefty Chris Snipes had spun a gem in relief. Snipes limited the potent GCSU offense to just three hits and a single run after the second inning. He walked one and struck out four in the Cougars' second masterful relief appearance of the day on Saturday.

GCSU got an RBI groundout from Steve Muoio in the first to go up 1-0 and then plated three in the second to chase Lane from the game. The big blow was a two-run triple by Richard Pirkle in the frame. He would score on a Veyna groundout to make it 4-0. Shawn Ward plated the fifth run in the fifth inning when his hopper bounded up and over the head of Cameron Griffin at third base for a two-out single. 

CSU out-hit the Bobcats 11-8 and had five players with two hits each. Montes, Eric Weiss, Rogers, Lewis, and Griffin each had two hits. Matt Pitts was the only Bobcat with two hits.

CSU ends the year with a 44-12 season mark.

"I am extremely proud of this group of seniors and the way they led this team. They will go down as one of the best groups we have had. CSU baseball is held to a high standard, and this group lived up to that," said Appleton.