Baseball | 2/19/2017 4:33:00 PM

Joplin, Mo. – This afternoon the Columbia College baseball team was back in action when they took on Graceland (Iowa) University in their final game of the 2017 Joplin Tourney. The Cougars were able to defeat the Yellow Jackets by a final score of 9-4 to improve to 5-6 on the season. With the loss, Graceland drops to 4-5 on the year.

The Cougars got off to a good start to the game as they were able to score in the top half of the first inning to break out to an early 1-0 lead. However, the Yellow Jackets responded quickly to the run from Columbia College and went off for four runs in the bottom half of the frame to take a 4-1 lead into the second.

Despite letting up four runs in the first, Columbia College starting pitcher Jeremy Rettig settled in and shutdown the Yellow Jackets as the game progressed. The Cougars picked up three runs between the third and fifth inning to tie the game at four. They continued to put the ball in play over the next few innings and scored five runs over the final two frames to solidify their second victory of the weekend.

Jeremy Rettig was the starting pitcher for Columbia College allowing just three earned runs and six hits in seven innings of work. Offensively, the Cougars were led by Ethan Howser who went 1-4 with three runs scored and Andrew Warner who went 2-3 with two RBI's.

Columbia College is back in action on Friday, February 24^TH when they travel to Conway, Arkansas, to take on Central Baptist (Ark.) College in their first AMC matchup of the season. The Cougars will play a three game series with the Eagles starting on Friday with the first pitch set for 1 p.m.