COLUMBUS, Ga. – Seventh-ranked UNCP pounded out 14 hits behind a phenomenal performance from right-handers Brian Willis and Braxton Lewis to salvage its series with No. 22 Columbus State with a 9-1 rout of the Cougars in Sunday's series finale at Ragsdale Field.

The win snapped a short two-game slide for UNCP (25-6, 8-6 PBC) who also captured its first league road victory of the season as well. The Cougars (20-11, 6-6) fell to 1-2 in PBC series finales with the setback and have now dropped five of their last seven outings.

Aaron Parnell tallied a pair of RBI doubles and scored twice on a 3-for-4 outing for the Braves, who also got a 3-for-4, 3-RBI outings from newcomer Eitan Maoz. Joe Mangum plated a pair of runs on a 2-for-4 hitting line, with Kenny Mickens doubling and scoring on a 2-for-3 day at the plate. Four different players recorded base hits for Columbus State, including Justin Pharr who singled and doubled on a 2-for-4 plate performance.

Willis (3-2) struck out two and scattered four hits over six innings of work to register his third-straight victory for the Black and Gold, with Braxton Lewis surrendering just one hit and striking out one over the last three innings to record the save. Brodie Leibrandt (5-2) allowed nine hits and four earned runs in six innings from the hill to saddle the loss for the hosts. He also struck out three.

UNCP would strike first in the contest on a RBI single by Maoz in the top of the first inning, but Columbus State struck back with a run of their own in the bottom of the frame, utilizing an ill-timed error, as well as a sacrifice fly from Bruce Alter, to tie the score back up heading to the second.

The Braves would put together a rally in the second to inevitably put the game away, scoring three runs with two outs showing to grab a lead they would not relinquish. The visitors would add lone insurance runs in the seventh and eighth innings, before sending eight batters to the plate in a three-run ninth inning.

Willis faced four or less batters in three different innings, but showed his grit in the fourth by inducing a groundout to escape a based-loaded jam. Lewis faced the minimum in both the seventh and ninth innings, and utilized a key double play by his teammates in the eighth to force CSU to strand its fourth runner in scoring position.

UNCP will be back in action again on Wednesday when the Braves suit up to host Pfeiffer (13-20) in a 6:30 p.m. contest at Sammy Cox Field. Admission prices are $5 for adults and $2 for children 18 years of age and younger. UNCP students are admitted free with a valid Braves Card.