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2015 baseball opener
Joe Chance
4
West Alabama UWA-BB 0-1
6
Winner Columbus State CSU 1-0
West Alabama UWA-BB
0-1
4
Final
6
Columbus State CSU
1-0
Winner
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E
West Alabama UWA-BB 1 0 0 0 3 0 0 0 0 4 7 1
Columbus State CSU 5 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 X 6 8 2

W: Pistey (1-0) L: Cruz, Jorge (0-1) S: Watson (1)

Next Game:

at Columbus State

1/31/2015 | 3 p.m.

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Full Schedule
Jan. 31 (Sat) / 3 p.m.
at Columbus State
History

Game Recap: Baseball |

Tigers Open Baseball Season With 6-4 Setback at CSU

COLUMBUS, Ga. – Brendan Collins and Mike McClellan both homered for Columbus State as the 12th ranked Cougars posted a 6-4 college baseball victory over West Alabama to open the season for both teams Friday at Ragsdale Park.
 
The Tigers and the Cougars are scheduled to complete the series with a doubleheader Saturday. First pitch is at noon CST.
 
"Overall, I thought we played pretty well," UWA head coach Gary Rundles said. "We had a case of nerves early with it being the first game, but that can be attributed to guys wanting to do the best job they can for their teammates."
 
West Alabama opened the scoring in the top of the first when Adam Chamblee coaxed a bases-loaded walk from Columbus State starting pitcher Mike McGinnity to score Jack Cockrum.
 
Columbus State scored five runs on five hits in the bottom of the first. Collins opened Cougar scoring with a leadoff blast over the left field wall. CSU used a pair of singles and a double to push across four more first-inning runs.
 
UWA cut the Columbus State lead to 5-4 in the top of the fifth inning on a two-run single by Eddie Kieffer and a bases-loaded walk from Tanner Rainey, who worked the free pass from an 0-2 count. The Tigers then left the bases loaded for the second time in five innings.
 
"We had a couple of opportunities to do more damage in the early part of the game, but didn't take advantage of them," Rundles said. "As this team settles in I believe we are going to be able to compete with anybody."
 
McClellan hit a solo homer in the bottom of the fifth to stretch the Cougar advantage to the final margin. A walk following the McClellan home run chased UWA starter Jorge Cruz. Jacob Neil got a line drive out to left field to end the threat.
 
Ryan Pistey (1-0) picked up the pitching win in relief of McGinnity, who lasted 4.2 innings. Pistey allowed just one hit over 3.1 innings. Trey Watson struck out the side in the ninth inning to earn his first save.
 
Cruz (0-1) took the UWA loss, allowing six runs on seven hits in 4.2 innings. After allowing five runs in the first inning, Cruz settled in to retired 11 of the next 12 Cougar hitters he faced. Brandon Pennington allowed just one hit and no runs in three innings.
 
"Jorge looked like a different pitcher after that first inning," Rundles said. "Once he gave up the five he went back to being a pitcher."
 
Jack Cockrum had two hits and Eddie Kieffer drove in two runs for West Alabama. Rainey added a double to his bases-loaded walk for the Tigers only extra base hit.
 
Kevin Manos reached base four times for Columbus State, adding a single to three bases on balls.
 
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Players Mentioned

Adam Chamblee

#4 Adam Chamblee

OF
6' 2"
Junior
R/R
Jack Cockrum

#2 Jack Cockrum

C
6' 1"
Junior
L/R
Eddie Kieffer

#22 Eddie Kieffer

C
6' 2"
Senior
R/R
Tanner Rainey

#13 Tanner Rainey

1B/RHP
6' 3"
Senior
R/R
Brandon Pennington

#3 Brandon Pennington

RHP
5' 11"
Junior
R/R
Jorge Cruz

#18 Jorge Cruz

RHP
6' 0"
Junior
R/R
Jacob Neil

#26 Jacob Neil

LHP
6' 0"
Junior
R/R

Players Mentioned

Adam Chamblee

#4 Adam Chamblee

6' 2"
Junior
R/R
OF
Jack Cockrum

#2 Jack Cockrum

6' 1"
Junior
L/R
C
Eddie Kieffer

#22 Eddie Kieffer

6' 2"
Senior
R/R
C
Tanner Rainey

#13 Tanner Rainey

6' 3"
Senior
R/R
1B/RHP
Brandon Pennington

#3 Brandon Pennington

5' 11"
Junior
R/R
RHP
Jorge Cruz

#18 Jorge Cruz

6' 0"
Junior
R/R
RHP
Jacob Neil

#26 Jacob Neil

6' 0"
Junior
R/R
LHP