Columbus, Ga. - Lynn University's starting pitchers put forth two dominating performances but baseball team only managed a split in a 6-2 victory and 3-2 extra inning loss to Columbus State.  The two starters, Jed Vandernaald and Travis Connelly, combined for 11.2 innings pitched, seven strikeouts and two earned runs allowed.  Tom Kain went 4-for-9 with a home run and four runs batted in while Alex DeBellis was 5-for-6 from the plate.  Lynn moves to 4-2 on the season.

It did not take long for Kain to make an impact in the opening game as the junior third baseman jumped all over the first pitch from Mike McGinnity, sending the fastball sailing over the 335 mark in left field for a two-run home run.

Vandernaald cruised through the first two frames before running into trouble in the third.  A Blue & White error allowed one run to score while Columbus State (3-3) capitalized on a pair of two-out singles to knot the game at two.

Sal Giardina broke the tie in the sixth with a one-out RBI single, scoring Alex Freedman from second base.  Freedman and Kain would later add RBI singles in the seventh while DeBellis drove in the final run with a RBI single in the ninth.

Vandernaald would toss six innings with six strikeouts, one walk and two runs allowed, only one of which was earned.  Bill Mendek trotted out to the mound in the seventh and completely shut down the Cougars, fanning three while allowing just one hit to pick up the save.

Game two turned into an early pitching duel between Connolly and Caden Ferguson.  Connelly held CSU hitless through four innings and allowed only one run through his 5.2 innings of work.

Mike Gonzalez put the Fighting Knights on top 1-0 in the second with a sacrifice fly and Kain made it a 2-0 lead in the sixth with a single down the left field line.  Columbus State cut the deficit in the sixth with a run but Andrew Melchor shut the door with a strikeout.

The Cougars took advantage of a pair of wild pitches in the seventh and eighth innings to score the game-tying and game-winning runs.

Lynn looks to take the series from Columbus State when it takes the diamond on Sunday, February 9, at noon.  Fans can listen to the game live at LynnFightingKnights.com and receive in-game updates by following @LUKnights on Twitter, Instagram and Vine.