COLUMBUS, Ga. – The Lander baseball team could not rally from an early deficit on Saturday afternoon against No. 5 Columbus State as the Cougars used a four-run first inning to take game two of the series by a score of 8-3. 

The Bearcats (6-17, 1-10 PBC) fell behind 4-0 in the first inning and trailed 6-0 entering the fifth inning before scoring their first run. Columbus State (20-2, 7-0 PBC) withstood a late Lander rally attempt to pick up its 14th win in a row. 

A leadoff home run from the Cougars in the bottom of the first sparked a four-run frame for Columbus State and CSU tacked on another run in the second and fourth innings to hold a 6-0 advantage. 

Lander got on the board in the top of the fifth on a leadoff homer from Bailey Connell, but Columbus State notched two more runs in the eighth inning to increase its lead to 8-1. 

The Bearcats attempted to rally in the top of the ninth after a walk to Connell and a pinch-hit single from Conner Davis to open the inning. Both runners came around to score on an error, but a strikeout, a single and a 5-4-3 double play ended Lander's comeback hopes. 

Joseph Whitt (0-1) surrendered six runs on six hits with four strikeouts and three walks in 4.0 innings to take the loss. CSU's Perez Knowles (2-0) earned the win with 11 strikeouts and four walks, allowing one run on four hits in 7.0 innings. 

Lander and Columbus State conclude the series Sunday afternoon at 1:00 p.m.