COLUMBUS, Ga. – For the second-straight day the 23^rd-ranked Saint Leo baseball team saw a late inning lead evaporate at the hands of third-ranked Columbus State as the Cougars downed the Lions 11-10 to earn a sweep in the three-game series. Saint Leo led 10-6 heading into the bottom of the eighth before a five-run explosion by the Cougars gave CSU the 11-10 lead and eventual victory.
 
The loss drops the Lions record to 6-4 on the season while the Cougars improved to 5-4.
 
Saint Leo produced three more home runs on Sunday as senior Peyton Isaacson, freshman Mike Wyman and junior Jacob Reimold all went deep. The offensive firepower did not hold up though as the Cougars responded with a pair of long balls including the game-winning grand slam in the bottom of the eighth.
 
Wyman and senior Jared Morello were the only Lions with more than one hit. Wyman was 2-for-5 with three RBI and two runs scored while Morello went 2-for-4 with an RBI, a walk and two runs scored.
 
Isaacson suffered the loss on the mound as he entered the game with the bases loaded in the eighth before suffering the game deciding grand slam at the hands of pinch hitter Chase Brown. Redshirt junior Ryan Nolan took the start and went 4.1 innings with five strikeouts, three walks and four runs allowed. Four other pitchers including Isaacson pitched the final 3.2 innings.
 
Sam Sowerbower picked up the win for the Cougars, his first of the season, while Devin Dudal was credited with the save after pitching in the ninth inning.
 
Saint Leo scored one in the first and one in the third before Columbus State dotted the scoreboard in the bottom of the third. Saint Leo's lead increased to 4-1 in the fourth before the Lions tacked on two more in the fifth. Columbus responded with three in the bottom of the fifth to make the score 6-4. Saint Leo matched the Cougars three runs in the top of the sixth to push the advantage to 9-4. Columbus State once again responded with a run in the bottom half to cut the advantage to four. After a scoreless seventh, the Lions tacked on an insurance run in the eighth before the big bottom half of the inning for CSU. Three walks, a hit and a home run was all it took for the Cougars to post five runs and capture the lead.    
 
The Lions will not have much time to think about the loss as they return home for a Tuesday night match up against Valdosta State. The Blazers and Lions will take the field at 5 p.m. Tuesday night.
 
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