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By: Josh Fuller

COLUMBUS – Brandon Koehler threw his fourth complete game of the season as the seventh-ranked Columbus State University baseball team snapped 25^th-ranked Lander's 14-game winning streak defeating the Bearcats 5-3 in the third and final game of a Peach Belt Conference series. The game took place at Burger King Stadium at Ragsdale Field.
 
Koehler improves to 6-0 on the season, adding on to his national leading mark. He scattered eight LU hits allowing just three runs while tying his season-high in strikeouts with eight.
 
"That was a great effort from Brandon today," said head coach Greg Appleton. "We needed someone to go out there and put zeroes on the board and that is exactly what he did today.
 
"This was a huge win for us," added Appleton. "You can't get swept in this league, especially at home. You can lose two out of three here and there, but its hard to recover from being swept."
 
Lander (23-6, 14-4 PBC) looked to pick up right where it left off from the previous two days scoring the game's opening run in the second. Thomas Berry led the frame off with a infield single before John Mangum muscled a double down the left field line. Alex Conaway would then just put the ball in play to score Berry to give the Bearcats a 1-0 lead.
 
Columbus State answered though, scoring a pair of runs in the second and third to go up 4-1. Ryan Ihle dropped down a perfect bunt along the first base line to reach first to begin the inning. Justin Evans followed and bunted himself. LU pitcher JD Waite fielded the bunt, but his throw to first was wild allowing Evans to reach and Ihle to advance to third.
 
Looking to tie the game, Hunter Bowling delivered chopping a single through the left side to tie the game at one. Following back-to-back outs, Jackson Oliver would give CSU the lead with a two-out single to score Evans.
 
After an important shutdown inning for Koehler in the third, Columbus State (21-7, 9-3) had a double fest in its half of the frame. CSU hit three doubles, one by Lake Hart, Ihle and Bowling, to push across two runs. Ihle and Bowling each drove in a run on their two-baggers.
 
That would be all Koehler needed on the day. The junior allowed single runs in the fifth and eighth, but the righty was always in control.  Lander threatened to have a big inning in the fifth, however Koehler got a big strikeout to strand runners on second and third.
 
Oliver was 4-for-5 at the plate for the Cougars with a RBI and a run scored. With his fourth hit of the day, the senior moved into a eighth place tie on the all-time CSU hit list with 245.
 
Bowling was 2-for-4 with a pair of RBIs while Blake Edwards (2-for-5), Mike McClellan (3-for-5), Hart (2-for-5) and Ihle (2-for-4) all had multi-hit days.
 
JD Waite (3-2) started the game for Lander and managed three innings. He allowed four runs (three earned) on eight hits. Tripper Ergle pitched four innings of relief for LU allowing just one run.
 
Colby Lusignan was 2-for-4 with two doubles for Lander while Berry was 2-for-4 as well with a RBI and two runs scored.
 
Columbus State will be back in action on Wednesday, March 23 taking on Point. First pitch is scheduled for 5 p.m. at Burger King Stadium at Ragsdale Field.