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By:
Josh Fuller
COCHRAN, Ga. – Four late runs propelled the Columbus State University baseball team to a 4-1 victory over Middle Georgia State on Tuesday. The game took place at Stuckey Field in Cochran, Ga.
The game was scoreless after five before the Cougars plated a run in the sixth and three in the seventh.
Kolton Ingram took it from there tossing a six-hit complete game.
"This was a great midweek win for us," said head coach
Greg Appleton. "We would still like to get some more runs, especially early on, but we hit the ball well today. Kolton continues to pitch well and I hope this carries over to a very important weekend."
The Cougars wasted some early scoring chances getting base runners in each of the first three innings. CSU had runners thrown out trying to steal in the first and second while
Tyler Fichter was thrown out trying to turn a single into a double in the third.
Ingram rolled into the fifth where Middle Georgia got runners on after an error and a single to right. However, the lefty got a popup and a groundout to escape the jam.
Columbus State was the beneficiary of a Middle Georgia error in the sixth to help score the first run of the game. With one out,
Drew Webb reached base on fielding error before
Mason McClellan singled to left to set up a first and third situation.
Lake Hart would then beat out a double play opportunity to keep the inning alive and allow Webb to score.
After a perfect inning from Ingram, the Cougars scored three more in the seventh to go up 4-0.
Turner Vincent started things with a double down the left field line and
Grant Berry was hit by a pitch to put two runners on. After a
Gunar Drinnen sacrifice bunt and a walk that loaded the bases, another Middle Georgia error scored Turner and Berry making it a 3-0 game.
Mason McClellan followed with a RBI single to score the third run of the inning.
The Knights made it 4-1 in the bottom of the seventh with a solo shot and then made things tight in the eighth and ninth. Middle Georgia had two runners in scoring position in the eighth before a line drive double play ended the threat. In the ninth, the Knights loaded the bases with two outs. However, Ingram hunkered down to strikeout the final batter of the game.
Ingram improved to 5-1 after tossing his second complete game of the season. He allowed one run on six hits while striking out five. He also walked four.
Fichter ended the night 3-for-5 with a stolen base.
Mason McClellan (2-for-4, RBI),
Bryce Delevie (2-for-4) and Berry (2-for-4) all had good days at the plate.
Columbus State will now prepare for a critical three-game series against third-ranked North Georgia. The series will begin on Friday, April 14 at 6 p.m. at Burger King Stadium at Ragsdale Field.
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