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By: Stephen Williams

COLUMBUS – Needing just seven innings, the 17^th-ranked Columbus State University baseball team picked up a 13-3 victory over Point on Wednesday night. The non-conference contest was played at Burger King Stadium at Ragsdale Field.
 
Columbus State (22-7) clubbed three home runs, all in the sixth inning, on its way to a second straight win.
 
Luke Porter (2-0) picked up the victory, allowing just three runs over six innings with six strikeouts.
 
"It took us a little bit to get going, but we started swinging the bat well," head coach Greg Appleton said. "Luke [Porter] made a couple of mistakes, but kept the ball down for the most part and did a nice job."
 
The game went quick in the early stages as Porter retired the first nine hitters of the game, while CSU's first six went down in order.
 
The Cougars struck first in the third, started by a hit by pitch for Grant Berry. A bunt and a flyout advanced the freshman to third and Blake Edwards drove home the game's first run with a single to left.
 
Point (11-18) tied the game up with a run in the fourth and took its only lead of the night on a solo home run in the fifth.
 
The floodgates opened for CSU in the fifth. Christian Miller and Berry each reached on walks and Hunter Bowling doubled to the wall in right to score a run. Tyler Fichter followed with a two-run triple into the right field corner and Jackson Oliver capped off the four-run inning with a RBI knock.
 
The Skyhawks picked up another solo homer in the sixth, but it would be their last run of the day.
 
Columbus State broke out the long ball in the sixth inning started by a solo shot from Matt Nettles. It was the team-leading 10^th of the season for the senior. Berry doubled a run home to extend the lead out to five and Edwards had the big blow of the inning with a long three-run home run to make it 11-3. Two batters later, Mike McClellan launched his eighth homer of the season over the wall in left.
 
With the mercy-rule just one run away, CSU made quick work of things in the seventh. Miller laced a double leading off the inning and Ryan Ihle drove him home with a single to give the Cougars the win.
 
All nine Cougars had at least one hit in the game led by Edwards (2-for-4), Miller (2-for-3), Ihle (2-for-4) and Fichter (2-for-3). Edwards drove in four runs, while Miller and Berry each scored three times.
 
Columbus State will hit the road this weekend for a road series at Flagler. First pitch of the series is scheduled for Friday night at 6 p.m. in Saint Augustine, Fla.