COLUMBUS, Ga. – The University of West Alabama baseball team suffered a 5-2 loss to Columbus State University in a non-conference contest, Tuesday afternoon from Ragsdale Field at Burger King Stadium.
CSU improves to 26-14 on the season and sweep the season series. UWA falls to 18-21.
Columbus State got on the board quickly, cashing in a lead off walk thanks to an RBI knock by Win Johns.
In the second, with Jackson Chizek trying to take second base with two outs,
Ryan Fletcher gunned him down for the final out of the frame and kept the Cougars off the board.
UWA would take the momentum back from there in the top half of the third, after
Will Wood doubled down the left field line and advanced on a passed ball,
Bryce Newman brought him home on an RBI knock to even the score at a run apiece.
After
Grainger West forced an inning-ending double play in the bottom of the third,
Nick Thibodeau launched a solo shot to start the fourth inning to give the Tigers the 2-1 lead.
In the bottom of the fourth, after back-to-back base runners by the Cougars, West settled in and retired the next three batters to keep the lead in favor of the Tigers.
CSU put a crooked number on the board in the fifth inning to retain the lead for good. After the home team loaded the bases on two walks and an infield hit, an eight-pitch walk by Kole McGlumphy evened the game at two.
Luke Hasty followed with a bases-clearing triple to extend the lead to 5-2.
The Tigers were able to get two walks in the frame and a
Chase Dejean chopper to first to move the runners to scoring position, but a strikeout ended the threat.
In the ninth, the Tigers got the tying run at the plate with one out, but a flyout that turned into a double play secured the win for the Cougars. The twin killing was the third of the game for CSU, and it proved to be the costliest for UWA.
Nick Thibodeau's home run in the fourth inning was the sixth of the season for the junior.
Albert Hernandez threw the eighth inning on the mound and added a 2-for-3 mark at the plate.
After the Cougars reclaimed the lead in the fifth, the Tiger bullpen slammed the door, as
Payton Graben,
Jace Dunsford and Hernandez retired the last nine batters faced.
Win Johns led Columbus State with two hits, while Luke Hasty had three RBIs on the bases-clearing triple.
With Wednesday's contest with William Carey canceled due to weather and a bye week in conference play, the Tigers will return to action on Tuesday, April 16 in a non-conference battle at Montevallo.
