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By: Josh Fuller

COLUMBUS – After battling to tie the game at four in the seventh, the Columbus State University baseball team lost 13-6 in 12 innings to 26^th-ranked West Georgia. The nonconference game took place at Burger King Stadium at Ragsdale Field.
 
Down 4-0 after five innings, CSU (2-2) rallied scoring a run in the sixth before three in the seventh. However after being held scoreless for eight innings, West Georgia scored nine in the 12^th to break the game open.
 
"This was a tough loss because the guys battled back tonight and then made a few mental errors late in the game that cost us," said head coach Greg Appleton. "There were a few positives that we can take from this game as we prepare to head to Lynn for the weekend."
 
After two quick innings, West Georgia (4-0) scored four runs in the third off of Cougar starter Luke Porter. A walk and a single put two runners on for the Wolves before a single pushed across the first run of the game. After Porter hit a batter, a costly Cougar error allowed two more runs to score. West Georgia pushed across another run on a groundout to make it 4-0.
 
Porter finished out his outing strong by allowing just one base runner in his final two innings. The righty went five innings allowing four runs (one earned) on five hits. He walked one while striking out a pair.
 
The Cougars got on the board in the sixth thanks to a UWG error. Turner Vincent reached second to begin the inning after a two-base error on West Georgia's third baseman. After a grounder moved Vincent to third, Gunar Drinnen put the ball in play to allow Vincent to score.
 
CSU finally tied the game in the seventh as the first three Cougar hitters reached base to begin the inning. With the bases loaded, Bryce Delevie grounded to shortstop bringing home Mason McClellan to make it 4-2. During the next at-bat, a wild pitch made it a run one game as Lake Hart crossed the plate.
 
Needing a hit to tie the game, Vincent came up big as he chopped one up the middle chasing home Cameron for the third run in the inning. However, CSU failed to take the lead stranding two runners in scoring position.
 
Neither side did much in the final two innings forcing the game into extras. After a quick 10^th and 11^th, West Georgia sent 13 hitters to the plate in the 12^th scoring nine runs. UWG had two singles to begin the frame until a key Cougar error opened up the scoring. The Wolves collected seven hits in the frame, including three for extra base hits.
 
Columbus State showed heart in the bottom of the 12^th scoring a pair of runs. Miles Cameron had a two-out single to plate the runs.
 
Mason McClellan and Vincent were the lone two Cougars to record multi-hit days. McClellan went 2-for-5 with two runs scored, while Vincent was 2-for-3 with a RBI.
 
Eight different players pitched for Columbus State in the game. Robert Hayes, Perez Knowles, Chad Wilson, Kolton Ingram and Jarrod Little all had scoreless appearances. Jalen Latta (0-1) took the loss after allowing six runs (five earned) in an inning.
 
Columbus State will be back in action this weekend in Florida taking on Lynn. The Cougars will play a doubleheader on Saturday beginning at noon in Boca Raton, Fla.