Allowing a nine-run first inning in the game of baseball is a hole that’s nearly impossible to dig out of.

Unfortunately for Brookhaven Academy fans on Thursday, the homestanding Columbia Academy Cougars did just that in game two of their MAIS 5A second round playoff series.

Brookhaven Academy (16-16) battled from behind from then on out in an eventual 14-5 victory that clinched the series for Columbia Academy (24-8). CA won at Brookhaven on Tuesday in a nail-biter, 3-2.

The start of things on Thursday couldn’t have gone better for the Cougars as they began the top of the first off with three straight singles by Samuel Evans, Caleb Authement and Avery Griffin.

A sacrifice fly by Liam Magee scored Evans, but Columbia Academy got a double play to end the frame and hold the Cougars from BA to a 1-0 advantage.

CA started the first off by getting a batter on via an error. The orange wearing Cougars then got a walk, a single, a hit batter and another walk to go up 3-1 before Brookhaven could record its first out.

The Cougars from Columbia added another run via a walk and then saw freshman Corban Lawrence hit a bases clearing double that made the score 7-1.

That led Brookhaven to change pitchers as the senior Griffin was replaced on the mound by freshman Tucker Tarver.

In all, the Cougars from Brookhaven used four pitchers on the night as Sam Stevens and Magee also had mound appearances.

CA starting pitcher Roman Lawrence went four innings and gave up five earned runs on six hits. He struck out three and walked one. The Columbia Cougars also got three strong relief innings from left hander Zeke Todd. Todd only gave up one hit in two innings on Tuesday and followed that up on Thursday by striking out seven in three innings and allowing just one hit.

BA and CA both had seven hits on the night, but the Cougars in blue committed five errors while issuing 13 walks. Columbia’s pitchers allowed just three batters to reach base via walks.

Griffin, Evans and Walt Smith all hit a double apiece for Brookhaven and senior Matt Newman hit a home run.

Newman, Griffin, Evans, and Stevens are the only seniors on the roster for first year BA head coach Randy Spring.

Oak Forest Academy holds a 1-0 series lead over Silliman Institute in the other MAIS 5A quarterfinal playoff matchup that will resume on Friday at OFA. The winner will move on to face Columbia Academy.

Oak Forest won two of three from Columbia during the regular season as did Silliman. Simpson Academy has already reached the semifinal round in the north side of the bracket after sweeping Bayou Academy earlier this week. Simpson will then play either Magnolia Heights or Wayne Academy in a series to decide who’ll play for a state championship later this month.