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By:
Josh Fuller
AUGUSTA, Ga. – The 26
th-ranked Columbus State University baseball team pounded out 20 hits en route to its ninth straight victory as the Cougars took down 24
th-ranked Augusta 10-9 Friday to begin a crucial three-game Peach Belt Conference series. The game took place at Jaguar Field in Augusta, Ga.
With the win, Columbus State (31-10, 16-6 PBC) pulls even with Augusta atop the PBC standings.
"This was a very important win for us tonight to set the tone for the rest of the weekend," CSU head coach
Greg Appleton said. "We got some great production from the lower part of the order and our bullpen pitched well enough to win us this game."
Both starting pitchers didn't have their best stuff Friday as neither made it past the third. Augusta immediately got to CSU starter
Brandon Koehler as the Jaguars took a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the first on a Drew Taylor sacrifice fly.
Columbus State had an answer in the second taking a 2-1 lead.
Blake Edwards got it all started with a single up the middle before
Grant Berry ripped a double down the left field line that tied the game at one-all.
Hunter Bowling followed with a single of his own to plate Berry and put the Cougars up one.
However, Augusta (27-12, 16-6) matched CSU's two runs with two of its own to retake a 3-2 lead. Back-to-back lead off singles set the table for the Jaguars and, following the first out of the inning, a key passed ball moved both runners into scoring position for Jamal Cummings. Cummings made the free bases hurt, singling up the middle scoring both runners.
Columbus State chased AU starter Tristan Jones from the game in the third after loading the bases to begin the frame. After a fly out, Edwards singled right back up the middle to score a pair of runs. After
Matt Nettles singled to reload the bases, Casey Lenoch entered the game and was greeted rudely by Berry, who hit his second double of the game and put the Cougars up 6-3.
The lead didn't last long though as Augusta came right back with three runs of its own to knot the game at six. Two walks and a single loaded the bases for the Jags with two outs, but Augusta did some two-out damage. Jim Wagner drove home two with a single and Nick Rau followed with a run-scoring hit of his own to tie the game at six.
After a scoreless fourth, Columbus State added two more in the fifth to go up 8-6. Edwards continued his great game hitting a solo shot to left to start the frame. After a groundout, Berry and Bowling had consecutive singles and an error loaded the bases for Oliver. Oliver delivered, hitting a sacrifice fly to center to score Berry.
Luke Porter kept Augusta off the board for three consecutive innings and the Cougars continued to add insurance runs in the seventh. CSU had a run two hitters into the inning as Nettles doubled and Berry singled him home to put the Cougars on top 9-6. After a sacrifice bunt,
Tyler Fichter singled to left and Oliver followed with a single of his own that allowed Berry to cross the plate.
Augusta finally got to Porter in the bottom half of the seventh as Cole Thompson hit a two-run bomb to pull the Jags within just two of the Cougar lead.
Things got even tighter in the eighth as Augusta struck for a run thanks to two-out magic again. With two down, Taylor extended the inning with a single and Connor Gilbert went to right field to drive home a run to make it a 10-9 game. Â
In the ninth, freshman
Justin Evans allowed just a two-out single before slamming the door to record his first save of his collegiate career.
Berry was the offensive hero for Columbus State as the freshman went 4-for-5 with two doubles, three runs and four RBIs. Oliver (3-for-4), Edwards (3-for-5) and Nettles (3-for-5) all had great days at the plate as well. Edwards had three RBIs while Oliver had two. McClellan and
Ryan Ihle each extended their hitting streak to nine games.
Porter improved to 5-0 on the year after tossing four innings allowing two runs on five hits.
Wagner was 3-for-5 for Augusta with two RBIs while Thompson was 2-for-3 with three runs scored and drove in two as well.
Columbus State and Augusta will meet again on Saturday at 2 p.m.
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