Montes, Skinner, and Satterfield key Cougars to 8-7 NCAA win over Erskine

FLORENCE, SC – Alex Montes and Eric Skinner each registered three hits and drove in two runs, while righty reliever Brian Satterfield allowed only one hit in 4.1 innings to key fourth-ranked and second-seeded Columbus State University to an exciting 8-7 win over 17th-ranked and sixth-seeded Erskine College, Saturday afternoon (May 15) at the NCAA Division II Southeast Regional Baseball Tournament.

Columbus State (44-11) moves on to play unbeaten Georgia College & State University later Saturday at 7 p.m.  Erskine ends its season at 41-17.

The Flying Fleet put two runners on in the bottom of the ninth inning, but CSU’s Wade Dudley struck out Erskine leadoff man Greg Huff to end the game and earn his 12th save.

Leftfielder Ryan Lewis also had a pair of hits for the Cougars, while scoring once.

Right fielder Bryan Fogle and shortstop Zach McCarthy were both 2-for-4 with a run scored for Erskine, and McCarthy also had an RBI.  Fleet second baseman Chas Anthony drilled a two-run homer in the fifth inning to give Erskine a 6-4 lead.

Erskine led 4-1 after three frames.  CSU tied the game at 4-4 in the fourth and led 5-4 prior to Anthony’s home run.  Columbus State regained the lead with two runs in the sixth on an RBI single by Montes and a sacrifice fly by Eric Weiss.

Both teams scored single runs in the eighth frame.

Kit Carter (1-1), the second of five Flying Fleet hurlers, was tagged with the loss.

Satterfield (3-1) entered the game with CSU trailing 6-4 and limited the Flying Fleet to one hit and one unearned run while the Cougars regained the lead.