PROVIDENCE, R.I. (Interstat) — Brown’s offense erupted for 20 hits and a 16-8 victory over Columbia on Wednesday afternoon, erasing an early eight-run deficit behind a career day from center fielder Mika Petersen.

Columbia jumped to an 8-0 lead in the first inning, but the Bears chipped away immediately. Shortstop Matt Luigs singled and scored on a two-run homer from third baseman DJ Dillehay in the bottom of the first, cutting the margin to 8-2. Catcher Jack Edmunds led off the second with a solo home run, and Luigs added an RBI groundout later in the inning to make it 8-5.

The Lions answered with a run in the top of the third on a double by outfielder Fellows, but Brown reclaimed control in the bottom of the fourth. Luigs singled and stole second, then Petersen drove him in with a run-scoring single. Left fielder Logan Meusy singled home a run, and second baseman Mark Henshon followed with a two-run homer to left field, turning the score to 10-8 in favor of the home side.

Brown added two more runs in the fifth. After a hit batter and a double, Luigs grounded out to plate a run and Petersen hit a sacrifice fly to center, extending the lead to 12-8. Petersen struck again in the seventh, launching a solo home run to left-center, and Henshon added an RBI single later in the inning to make it 14-8.

Columbia cut the deficit to 14-12 in the top of the eighth when Fellows hit a two-run homer, but Brown answered with two runs in the bottom half. Luigs tripled in a run and then scored on Petersen’s double, his third hit of the game. Christian Keel pitched a scoreless ninth to secure the win.

Petersen finished 3 for 4 with a home run, a double and five runs batted in, his second five-RBI game in three outings. Luigs went 4 for 6 with two RBIs and three runs scored. Henshon was 3 for 5 with a homer and three RBIs, Edmunds went 3 for 5 with a homer and two RBIs, and Dillehay added a homer and two RBIs. Logan Meusy chipped in two hits and an RBI as the Bears produced 20 hits overall.

Columbia’s offense collected eight runs on 12 hits, including a double and a home run from Fellows, who had three RBIs. The Lions dropped to 12-21-1 overall, while Brown improved to 20-16.

Bryan Yang started for Brown and allowed six earned runs on eight hits over 4 1/3 innings, striking out four. Camren Piwnicki tossed 2 2/3 scoreless innings of relief, giving up two hits and striking out one, and Keel worked a perfect ninth with one strikeout.

The decisive stretch came in the bottom of the fourth when Brown scored four runs to take the lead for good. With the score 8-6, Luigs singled and stole second. Petersen’s single put runners on the corners and Luigs came home when the throw to the plate was cut off. After a double by right fielder Alex Benevento, Meusy’s single gave Brown the lead, and Henshon’s two-run homer capped the inning.

Interstat’s ELO system had projected Columbia with a 69.50 percent probability to win.