Like Columbus State Athletics on Facebook!
Tweet #GoCSU

By: Stephen Williams

COLUMBUS – The 21^st-ranked Columbus State University baseball team used a pair of big innings to roll past Albany State 10-1 Wednesday for its sixth straight victory. The game was played at Burger King Stadium at Ragsdale Field.
 
Making his first collegiate start, freshman Jalen Latta allowed just one unearned run on one hit over seven innings for his first victory. Robert Hayes and Jarrod Little each worked scoreless innings of relief for the Cougars.
 
"Jalen threw the ball well today," head coach Greg Appleton said. "He worked ahead in the count and our offense strung enough hits together to get the win."
 
After a pair of perfect innings from Latta, the Cougar offense went to work in the second inning.
 
Lake Hart began his perfect day at the plate with a leadoff single and Jamal Howard followed with a deep drive that was dropped shy of the centerfield wall.
 
Grant Berry plated the first run of the day with a sacrifice fly and Gunar Drinnen made it 2-0 with a double into the left-centerfield gap.
 
Justin Evans continued the offensive outburst with two outs, doubling down the left field line to score two and Turner Vincent capped the inning with a run-scoring single on the infield.
 
Albany State (4-16) picked up its only run of the day behind a Cougar error in the third, but Latta would shut it down from there.
 
Columbus State (18-8) went quiet at the plate over the next four innings before getting rolling again in the seventh.
 
Hart opened the floodgates with a bases loaded single that scored Justin Evans and Vincent. Howard added a sacrifice fly and Drinnen doubled for the second time, each bringing home a run to make it 9-1.
 
Vincent finished the scoring off in the eighth, driving a deep fly to left to score Tyler Fichter.
 
Hart was a perfect 4-for-4 in the game with two runs and two RBIs. Evans and Drinnen each had two hits and two driven in as well.
 
Columbus State will return to Peach Belt Conference play this weekend with a three-game series at Montevallo. First pitch Friday night is scheduled for 8 p.m.