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By: Richard Navratil
 
COLUMBUS – After dropping game one 7-6 in extra innings, the Columbus State University baseball team bounced back in game two to defeat 20^th-ranked Lynn 14-1. Saturday's doubleheader took place at the newly opened Burger Stadium at Ragsdale Field in Columbus.
 
With the split, the Cougars move to 4-2 on the year, while the Fighting Knights of Lynn University drop to 2-5.
 
The three-game series will wrap up with tomorrow's single game with first pitch scheduled for 1 p.m.
 
Game One
 
Lynn jumped on Cougar starter Caleb Kutsche right away in the top of the first using a single, sacrifice bunt, error and fielder's choice to bring home the game's first run.
 
The Cougars, however, responded in the bottom of the frame with three of their own. Leadoff man Blake Edwards opened up the offense with a single up the middle. Edwards advanced on a passed ball, and Jackson Oliver walked to put runners on first and second. Matt Nettles then rolled a groundball to shortstop, but the throw to second sailed into the outfield sending Edwards home for the first CSU run of the game. One batter later, Mike McClellan struck out on a ball in the dirt and, on the throw to first, Oliver alertly broke for the plate and scored. A Lynn wild pitch paved the way for third run scored by Nettles.
 
After a wild first inning, Kutsche settled in and put up six straight scoreless frames.
 
The Cougar bullpen came on with a 3-1 lead in the eighth and saw the lead evaporate. Three walks between two pitchers loaded the bases and a first-pitch triple from Tyler Curtis cleared the bases, giving Lynn a 4-3 lead. The Fighting Knights then added a pair more with an RBI single and wild pitch.
 
Down 6-3, the Cougars opened up the eighth with a Ryan Ihle single through the left side. With one out, Ihle stole second and advanced to third on a strikeout. Edwards' plate discipline was rewarded with a walk putting on two for Oliver, who found the right-centerfield gap to plate both runners, cutting the deficit to 6-5.
 
Jarrod Little came on in the top of the ninth and used a double play to toss a clean inning and give the Cougars a chance in the bottom half of the inning.
 
Down to their last three outs, the Cougars took advantage of a Lynn mistake. A fielding error put the tying run on base setting up Grant Berry for the game-tying double that scored pinch-runner Juan Montana. Columbus State had the potential winning run standing on third base with two outs, but was unable to bring it home.
 
The Knights put a run across in the top of the 10th, leaving the Cougars again down to their final three outs.
 
Tyler Fichter slashed a single through the left side to lead off the 10th and Oliver walked with one away to put two runners on. However, the Cougars left the pair on base after a strikeout and a groundout to put an end to their three-game winning streak.
 
Kutsche tossed seven quality innings, giving up one earned run on three hits, walking two and striking out six. Jarrod Little (0-1) took the loss on the afternoon with two innings pitched, giving up one run, despite not allowing a hit.
 
At the plate, five different Cougars got a hit, highlighted by Oliver's 1-for-3 day with two RBIs, one run scored and two walks.
 
Game Two
 
Game two of the doubleheader went in a completely opposite fashion. The Cougars dominated both on the mound and at the plate, capitalizing on four Lynn defensive miscues.
 
Albert Harless (1-0) got the start on the mound, dominating most of the ballgame. On the night, he allowed one unearned run on three hits in six innings, fanning six Knights.
 
Columbus State got on the scoreboard in the second inning in a grand fashion. Ihle lifted a no-doubter to left field, wrapping around the foul pole, putting the Cougars up 1-0. With one out, Edwards singled to the pitcher, sending Fichter to third. Oliver continued his strong day by lining a double to left-center, plating two Cougars for a three-run lead. McClellan and Daniel got on the scoring wave as well, sending back-to-back doubles to the right-centerfield fence, giving CSU a 5-0 edge.
 
Lynn managed to come up with an answer to only one of those runs, getting an unearned run across the board in the third inning.
 
The laser show started for the Cougars in the bottom of the third, when Lake Hart pummeled one just shy of the scoreboard in the right field to make it 7-1 CSU. Oliver stayed hot and singled through the right side, setting up Edwards to score on an error by the shortstop during a stolen base attempt. Later in the frame, Daniel roped a single to center, plating Oliver and giving the Cougars a four-run lead.
 
Just an inning later, Ihle drew a leadoff walk, stealing second on the first pitch of the next at bat. The red-hot Hart was about six feet short of his second long ball of the game, as he tripled off the centerfield fence, sending Ihle home. With one down, Edwards played small ball and brought in Hart with a groundout to second base. After four complete, the Cougars were up by 10.
 
The last nail in the Knight coffin came in the bottom of the sixth. Berry led off with a single, followed up by an Ihle walk. Next up was none other than Hart, who was already 2-for-3 on the night. Hart kept his good night going, sending his second home run of the day to the right field netting behind the outfield fence, collecting three RBIs and sending the Cougars on top, 14-1.
 
Hart led the offensive efforts, going 3-for-4 with three runs and six RBIs, sending out two long balls and a triple. Oliver was 3-for-5 with two runs scored and two more driven in.