COLUMBIA – C.J. Newsome and Ethan Seals laced back-to-back doubles to the wall, in the bottom of the seventh, to propel the Columbia Wildcats to a 4-3 win over the upset-minded Lawrence County Cougars Friday night at John Sapen Field.

Lawrence County tied the game by scoring 2 runs with 2 out in the top of the seventh. Gabriel Lewis’ line drive single to right center off Columbia standout Ti’Quan Forbes knotted the game at 3-3, setting the stage for Columbia’s bottom-of-the-seventh dramatics.

With the win, Greg Owen’s Wildcats improved to 18-3 overall, and 8-0 in Division 7-4A play. Columbia is considered to be one of the favorites to win the 4A state championship in 2014. The Wildcats claimed the title in 2011. Lawrence County, coached by Cory Keyes, fell to 11-10 overall, and 2-6 in the division. Columbia defeated Lawrence County 9-8, in Monticello, on Wednesday.

“Hats off to Columbia, they’ve got a fine team and are having a fine season,” said Keyes. “But I’m awfully proud of my team for the effort they put forth in this series. Our kids did a good job.”

In the bottom of the third, Lawrence County grabbed a 1-0 lead, courtesy of a walk, an error, and back-to-back singles by T-Tez Cole and Kody Smith. However, the Cougars left the bases loaded. LCHS left the bases loaded again in the fourth, hitting into an inning-ending double play. Those lost scoring opportunities would come back to bite the Cougars.

Through 4 innings, Lawrence County starter Will Jackson shut Columbia out on 3 hits. In the bottom off the fourth, a walk, a hit batsman, and 2 singles added up to 2 runs and a 2-1 Wildcat lead. In the bottom of the fifth, the Cougars’ only error of the night allowed Columbia’s third run to score.

Facing a 3-1 deficit in the top of the seventh, and facing one of Mississippi’s most-celebrated high school players, the Cougars rallied. With one out, T-Tez Cole singled. One out later, Will Jackson flared a soft single to right. After a walk to Joshua Stephens, Lewis hit a vicious line drive to right center to tie the game. Forbes escaped the inning on an inning-ending groundout. Columbia then claimed the game on the big hits of Newsome and Seals in the bottom of the seventh.

Lewis and Cole led Lawrence County with 2 hits each. Stephens laced a double to deep right. Smith, Jackson, Greenlee, and Kasey Durr also had hits.

On the mound, Jackson was heroic in defeat. In six-plus innings, he scattered 8 hits and struck out 4. After giving up the double to Newsome to start the seventh, Jackson switched places with catcher Greenlee, who pitched to the final batter.

“Holding Columbia to 4 runs is quite an accomplishment right now,” said long-time LCHS assistant Craig Davis. “Will and Logan did a great job at pitcher and catcher, and we defended well behind them. It was a truly great effort.”

Newsome led Columbia with 3 hits, and Seals had 2. Forbes, Tomaz Conerly, Donte Peters, and Scooter Ginn also had hits. Forbes, an Ole Miss commit who is likely to be an early-round pick in the 2014 pro draft, was the winning pitcher in relief of starter Logan McDowell. In 4 innings, Forbes struck out 4 and allowed 5 hits.

“That’s a nice kid, who has been a great representative of their program and their school for a long time,” assistant Davis said of Forbes. “We wish him nothing but the very best in his baseball future, and beyond.”

Lawrence County won 4-3 in junior varsity play, as Devin Thurman pitched 5 strong innings. Steven Colson and Rishad Haynes had doubles for Lawrence County. Prentiss Anderson and Walt Lowe also had hits.