PEMBROKE – Visiting Columbus State used a dropped third strike to take a 1-0 lead in the first inning, but No. 16 UNCP rallied for seven runs over the next two innings and rode the strong arm of Dale Innes to a 12-6 win over the Cougars in the series rubber game on Monday evening at Sammy Cox Field.

The win gave the Braves (10-1, 2-1 PBC) its first series victory over Columbus State since 2006, while also putting the lid on a successful season-opening 11-game home stand. The setback marked the fourth loss for the Cougars (3-8, 1-2) in the last six matchups with UNCP as well.

UNCP got three hits apiece from Daniel Fraga (3-for-5, 2 R), Jordan Edgerton (3-for-6, 2B, 2 RBI) and Brett Huffman (3-for-4, 2 RBI), while Drew Alford doubled and drove in a trio of runs on a 2-for-5 hitting line. Ben Schmucker (2-for-4) registered a pair of hits for the hosts as well.

Jimmy Obermark singled three times on five trips to the plate for the Cougars, while Cameron Scott (2-for-4) and Martin Castro (2-for-5) tallied multi-hit outings as well.

Innes (2-0) struck out 14 batters, walked four and scattered four hits and three runs (two earned) across seven strong innings from the bump to pick up the win for the Braves. Jake Ezell (1-1) saddled the loss for the Cougars after allowing seven earned runs on seven hits and a pair of walks in just 1-1/3 innings of work.

J.D. Pullen reached on a dropped third strike and eventually scored on a wild pitch to give the visitors the quick lead, but the Braves for four runs in the bottom of the frame, and then tacked up three more in the second to put the game out of reach.

Columbus State whittled away at its deficit with lone runs in the third and fourth innings, but the Black & Gold pushed its lead out to 10-3 on Alford's two-run double and Zade Denton's RBI single in the sixth. Run-scoring doubles by Fraga and Tyler Potter in the sixth would cap the scoring for the Braves.

UNCP will open up a four-game road trip this weekend when it makes the long trek to central Alabama to battle Montevallo (5-5, 2-1) in a three-game set at Kermit Johnson Field. The teams will open up the weekend with a 2 p.m. EST doubleheader on Saturday and close out the series with a 2 p.m. single game on Sunday.