COLUMBUS, Ga. | Columbus State University scored four runs in the bottom of the eighth inning to rally for a 5-4 Peach Belt Conference baseball victory over Young Harris College Friday (April 19) evening at Burger King Stadium at Ragdale Field.

The Cougars improved to 27-14 overall and to 12-10 in the Peach Belt, while the Mountain Lions fell to 28-16 and 14-10. The teams wrap up their three-game series with a 1 p.m. contest Saturday (April 20).

Corley Reynolds gave the Mountain Lions a 1-0 lead with a sacrifice fly in the second that scored Cole Jackson, who had reached on a walk. Young Harris doubled its lead with an unearned run in the fifth thanks to two Cougar miscues.

Columbus State tied the game at 2 in the bottom of the inning on Chase Brown's two-run homer to right field.

Young Harris took a 5-2 lead in the top of the eighth as the Mountain Lions scored three runs. Jackson led off the rally after being hit by a pitch and Tyler Washington reached on an infield single. T.J. Byrd followed with a two-out single through the left side to score Washington. Tucker Greer drove in two more runs on  his double to center field.

The Cougars started their rally by Bryce Delevie reaching on an error before the next five batters reached safely on singles. Columbus State got RBI hits from Grant Berry, Drew Webb and Robert Brooks to tie the game at 5. The Cougars took the lead 6-5 after Berry scored on a wild pitch from reliever Matt Rogers (1-2).

Young Harris had the tying run on base in the top of the ninth but CSU reliever Devin Dudal earned his 11th save as he was able to pitch a scoreless inning. Sheridan Coy (7-0) earned the win in relief.

Washington led the Mountain Lions with three hits, while Byrd added two.