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COLUMBUS – In the first of a weekend series, the Columbus State University baseball team downed Lynn 7-2 on Friday night. The three-game series is being played at Burger King Stadium at Ragsdale Field.
 
Kolton Ingram improved to 3-0 on the season behind seven strong innings. The southpaw allowed a pair of solo home runs for the only blemishes on his line. He gave up just four hits and struck out four on the night.
 
"I thought Kolton was excellent tonight and then (Jalen) Latta went out and pitched well to finish it," head coach Greg Appleton said. "It's nice to go out and beat a good team, but it's a three-game series and we have to come out and do it again tomorrow."
 
Columbus State (5-1) found itself down after Lynn jumped on top with a solo homer in the top of the first inning, but the Cougars got back even and then some in their half of the third.
 
Robert Brooks was hit by a pitch to start the inning and Justin Evans followed with a bunt single. After a sacrifice bunt moved the runners to second and third, Mason McClellan tied the game at one with a groundout.
 
Frank Wager then followed with a monster homer to right-centerfield that pushed CSU in front 3-1. The junior has now homered in three straight games for the Cougars.
 
Columbus State struck courtesy of the big fly again in the fourth, this time off the bat of Austin Pharr. His second home run of the season, a solo shot, stretched the lead out to 4-1.
 
Lynn (5-3) added its second solo homer of the game to lead off the sixth, but the Cougars had the answer again.
 
In the bottom of the inning, a wild pitch scored Wager to get the run right back for the Cougars and Brooks tacked on another pair with a two-out single.
 
Ingram exited the game after seven innings and turned it over to Jalen Latta. The sophomore retired all six batters he faced over the final two innings, including four by strikeout.
 
Brooks and Pharr each had a pair of hits to lead the Cougar attack, with Brooks and Wager each driving in two.
 
Columbus State and Lynn will play the middle game of the series on Saturday. First pitch is scheduled for 2 p.m.