Tigerville, S.C. – North Greenville dropped its first game of the 2018 Southeast Regional on Friday night to Columbus State in what turned out to be a pitching Dual between two of the region’s best starters.

The Basics

• Score: Crusaders – 3 / Cougars – 4
• Records: North Greenville 44 – 9 / Columbus State 42 – 12
• Location: Ray & Bea Dillard Field (Tigerville, South Carolina)
• Tournament: NCAA Southeast Regional

How it Happened

• Tucker Burgess struggled early, giving up four runs in the first two frames on eight hits.
• A pair of RBI singles in the first inning put the Crusaders in a 2 – 0 hole. Columbus State tacked on a two-run blast in the top half of the second but Burgess escaped further damage as the Cougars stranded a runner on third after an inning-ending pop-up.
• North Greenville got back in the thick of it in the home half of the third inning when Andrew Plunkett ripped a liner over the left field fence, a blast that scored Jeffrey Chandler and cut the Cougar lead in half.
• NGU tacked on another run in the seventh inning on Utah Jones’ RBI single but, Cougar Starter Perez Knowles kept NGU’s offense at bay, coaxing a deep fly-out for the third out as NGU stranded three.
• Knowles was the headliner of the day. The game two starter for the Cougars threw 153 total pitches and held NGU’s dangerous offense in check.
• North Greenville finished with just seven hits and were just 1 – 5 with runners in scoring position.

Inside the North Greenville Box Score

• Tucker Burgess gave up four earned runs in the opening pair of frames but settled in nicely in the third, finishing with eight strikeouts and a walk in eight innings of work.
• Plunkett led the Crusaders with two RBI and a pair of runs scored in a 1 for 3 showing.
• Utah Jones was also 1 for 3 and had an RBI. John Jones and Jeff Chandler collected a hit each for NGU.

Inside the Columbus State Box Score

• Perez Knowles tossed a complete game and struck out nine in the process of throwing 153 – pitches. Knowles also allowed four free passes.
• Andrew Webb was 2 for 4 with a pair of RBI and a run scored while Garrett Kirkwood finished 2 for 3 with a run.
• Robert Brooks and Grant Berry also had two hits. Berry tacked on a run and walked twice.

Next Time Out

• The Crusaders will play to stave off elimination tomorrow morning, taking on the second-seeded Georgia College. The Crusaders fell to the Bobcats earlier this season 7 – 0.