Columbia, Mo. - This evening the Columbia College men's baseball team was back in action as they hosted the sixth ranked Freed-Hardeman University Lions in the AMC Series of the Week. In a close game, the Cougars fell just short 4-3. The Cougars are now 8-7 on the season and 4-3 in conference play.
With the game underway, the Lions grabbed two runs in the top of the first with a two-run homerun to lead 2-0 and added another run in the third. The Cougars got some offense rolling in the bottom of the fourth as they drove in two runs, cutting the lead 3-2 heading into the fifth. Columbia was playing steady defense as they still held the Lions at three runs heading into the top of the eighth. The Lions knocked one in during the eighth to go up 4-2 midway through the inning. However, the Cougars also knocked one in during the inning, making it a one run deficit again, 4-3. In the final inning, Columbia was unable to overcome the Lions and fell 4-3.
Chris Wall started on the mound as he allowed five hits, two earned runs, while striking out 12 batters in seven innings. Conner Darnell came in for Wall and allowed one hit and struck out two batters in two innings of play. Offensively, Blade McKee went 3-3 with one run scored, Kenny Piper was 1-3 with one run scored and two RBIs, Ethan Howser was 1-3 with one RBI, and Nolan Rattai went 1-3 with one run scored.
The baseball team is back in action tomorrow, March 8th, as they complete the series with a doubleheader. Game one is set to start at 10 a.m. and the second game to follow.
