As dusk settled on Pierce Field Friday evening, the Porters Chapel Eagles turned on the power – and turned out the lights on Columbia Academy.

PCA overcame a three-run deficit in the bottom of the sixth by hitting three home runs, including a go-ahead solo shot by Cody Ferguson, and beat Columbia 6-5 in the decisive Game 3 of their first-round MPSA Class AA playoff series.

PCA advanced to a second-round series with Central Private beginning Tuesday at 5 p.m. in Vicksburg, but it wasn’t an easy road. A day after walking 10 Columbia batters in a Game 2 loss, the Eagles left the bases loaded twice and stranded seven runners in scoring position before rallying.

&#8220Bottom line, we didn’t play very well. But the kids refused to lose. They got it done when they needed to,” PCA coach Randy Wright said. &#8220You’ve got to give Columbia credit. They played hard the whole series.”

And they had the Eagles on the ropes.

A two-run double by D.B. Mitchell helped Columbia (15-13) take a 3-0 lead in the fourth, and Ryan Havard’s two-run homer over the center field fence put the Cougars in front 5-2 in the top of the sixth after PCA (32-4) had cut into the lead.

Then Spencer Pell led off the bottom of the inning with a solo homer over the right field fence and Robbie Simms reached second on a bunt single and a throwing error.

Just when it looked like PCA would shake its doldrums, disaster struck. Michael Busby flied out to left and Simms was thrown out trying to advance to third for a crushing double play. Unlike previous momentum-breakers in this series, however, it was just a speed bump for the Eagles.

Moose Carney singled, and Hayden Hales followed with a deep fly ball to left-center that barely cleared the fence for a game-tying home run. The next batter, Ferguson, followed with his solo shot to left to give PCA its first lead of the game, 6-5.

&#8220As soon as I hit it, I just wanted to see how far it went,” said Ferguson, who was 2-for-3 with his home run and a double. &#8220It was unbelievable to hit that. And we knew Michael (Busby) was coming in if we got the lead, so it’s game over.”

Busby did indeed close the door. The PCA ace and Mississippi State signee was warming up in the bullpen when Ferguson connected, and jumped in the air when he saw the ball leave the park. Busby then walked onto the mound in the top of the seventh, struck out the first two batters and got the third to hit a weak pop-up to first to end the game.

&#8220My adrenaline was definitely pumping. I felt like that’s the hardest I threw all year,” said Busby, who also went 3-for-4 at the plate, and was 9-for-12 in the three-game series. &#8220That’s a lot of luck and a lot of drive not to lose. We didn’t want this to be our last game.”

It was the last game for eight Columbia seniors, who came oh-so-close to pulling off a huge upset. After losing the first game 9-0 on Tuesday, the Cougars outplayed PCA in the last two games but couldn’t close the deal.

&#8220I thought the best team lost tonight. I thought we played harder and showed more heart than they did. We just fell a little short,” Columbia coach Brandon Thornhill said. &#8220It was a good series overall. We just ran out of pitching.”