DAVIDSON, N.C. — Columbia Baseball (3-4 0-0 IVY) got a pair of home runs and three runs late but scoring in the middle innings from Davidson (9-3, 0-0 A10) would be enough to hold off the late charging Lions as they dropped the final game of the weekend series, 6-4, to split the weekend at Wilson Park.
 
Columbia's bombs came from Joshua Solomon and Skye Selinsky, and over the final three innings the Columbia bullpen allowed only one run to keep Columbia in the game.  But three runs in the third and two in the fifth, coupled with an insurance run in the bottom of the eighth allowed Davidson to hold on to the win to salvage a series split.

"I thought the Feczko kid pitched a real good game for Davidson today and he kept our guys off balance," said Head Coach Brett Boretti.  "We battled late to get back into it but came up short.

"I thought we got solid pitching for most of the weekend and our defense was good. We competed really well and are getting positive contributions from a lot of players. 
We are looking forward to heading to Baylor next weekend to kick off the spring break week."
 
HOW IT HAPPENED: Billy Black (0-2) got the start and went three scoreless innings, giving up one hit in the process.  But in the fourth inning the Wildcats would get to Black.
 
Leading the inning off with a solo home run, Davidson would go on to score two more to notch three in the inning.  During the fifth, with Black still on the mound thanks to a fourth inning ending double play turned Austin Mowrey, Jacob Phelps and Tyler MacGregor, Davidson scored two more as Black was taken out after walking a pair to start the inning.
 
Griffin Palfrey came in for relief and the Wildcats would get two off him to put their score at five runs. 
 
Despite the five runs scored over the fourth and fifth innings, the Lions were still in the game thanks to Solomon's home run in the second inning.  Columbia couldn't get any runs across the plate again until the eighth inning, but in that frame the bats came alive.
 
Selinsky led the inning off with a solo blast and Weston Eberly and Phelps each banged singles to put the Lions in position to score runs.  With two outs and both Eberly and Phelps on second and third, Andy Blake smacked a two RBI single to left plating Eberly and a hustling Phelps. 
 
The three runs gave Columbia a chance, but an error in the bottom of the eighth allowed Davidson to plate an insurance run.  That run would be enough for the Wildcats to hold off Columbia in the ninth to come away with the 6-4 win and series split.
 
GAME NOTES: For the second straight game, and fourth time this season, Columbia hit a pair of home runs in the same game … Blake extended his hit streak to five games … Solomon's hit streak extends to four games.
 
UP NEXT: The Lions return to the diamond on Friday, Mar. 11 for the first of a three-game weekend series at Baylor.  It's part of a four-town swing where the Lions will face McNesse (Mar. 15), Incarnate Word (Mar. 16) and a three-game series at Houston (Mar. 18-20).
 
FOLLOWING THE LIONS: Stay up to date on all things Columbia Baseball by following the Lions on Twitter (@CULionsBaseball), Instagram (@culionsbaseball) and on Facebook (@ColumbiaAthletics).