The Tribune

By RENALDO DORSETT

Tribune Sports Reporter

rdorsett@tribunemedia.net

Perez Knowles delivered an impressive performance from the mound in the Southeast Regional tournament and helped his team earn an historic berth to the NCAA Division II World Series.

Knowles pitched a complete game and gave up just seven hits with nine strikeouts as he led his No.10 ranked Columbus State Cougars to a 4-3 upset win over No.1 North Greenville.

“Everything was working, I was just making adjustments throughout the game. I noticed they started to make adjustments so I had to keep making adjustments. Everybody was playing good defence behind me, they gave me the four runs and that happened to be all we needed,” Knowles said. “I noticed that they were hitting the slider a bit more so I said we have to get further inside, mix it up and throw the change up even more.”

He improved his record to 7-3 on the season and moved the Cougars into the tournament’s winner’s bracket.

“Perez was outstanding,” head coach Greg Appleton said. “We jumped on them early and he buckled down and fought the entire day. He made the big pitches when he needed them most and seemed to be getting stronger late in the game.”

Knowles, an all Peach Conference Second team selection this season, recorded a perfect eighth inning and struck out the first two batters he faced in the ninth.

“I didn’t know how many pitches he had thrown until the eighth inning and I think the hardest pitch he threw all game was a fastball, swing and miss. He just looked good to me. He didn’t look tired and I’ve seen him tired, he was pitching well and I felt like he had command.”

The Cougars went out to face Belmont Abbey in the next round and suffered a 7-3 loss, their first of the Southeast Regional. They defeated North Greenville in a rematch to eliminate the Crusaders, the host school, after a four-hour weather delay. That win propelled them to a rematch with Belmont Abbey, however the Cougars would need to defeat Belmont twice in one afternoon to claim the title. They would do just that.

Columbus State won a 5-0 thriller in 12 innings to start the day and followed it up with a 10-7 win in the nightcap to capture the Southeast Region championship. Knowles got the start in game two and went three innings with three strikeouts.

The Cougars will make their eighth World Series appearance and first since 2007.

The World Series is scheduled for May 26 through June 2 at the USA Baseball National Training Complex in Cary, N.C.

Prior to his transfer to Columbus State, Knowles spent his previous collegiate years with the University of Troy Trojans.

Knowles appeared in 17 games out of the bullpen in two seasons. As a freshman, he appeared in 14 innings with 11 strikeouts and an ERA just over seven.

Once he transferred to Columbus State, Knowles appeared in 19 games for the Cougars and posted a 1.77 ERA and finished with a 3-3 record and a team-best three saves. He tallied 33 strikeouts in 35.2 innings.

At the high school level, Knowles starred at the high school level in Rabun Gap, Georgia.

From the mound, he led his Eagles team to playoffs all four years of high school and was named all-conference his freshman, sophomore and junior seasons and was named 2014 Preseason Under Armour All-American.