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COLUMBUS – The 11^th-ranked Columbus State University baseball team fell 13-4 on Saturday in the final game of the series against No. 21 Flagler. The Peach Belt Conference game was played at Burger King Stadium at Ragsdale Field.
 
The loss snaps a string of four straight wins for Columbus State (26-6, 10-4 PBC).
 
"It always leaves a bad taste in your mouth when you lose the final game of the series," head coach Greg Appleton said. "We won two out of three though against a ranked team and that's what we need to remember."
 
Flagler (25-10, 15-6) got its offense rolling early and often Saturday, plating a run in the first and three more in the third.
 
CSU cut the deficit in half in the bottom of the third, getting a RBI single from Garrett Kirkwood and a second run on Frank Wager's groundout.
 
However, the Saints responded by scoring six runs over the next two innings to jump in front 10-2.
 
Columbus State added a run in the sixth on a run-scoring single from Justin Evans and another in the seventh as Austin Pharr worked a groundball through the left side.
 
The Cougars had 12 hits on the day from eight different players, their third straight game with double-digit hits. Brown, Evans, Kirkwood and Mason McClellan each had two knocks.
 
Payton Phillips (1-1) allowed four runs in three innings to take the loss in his first start of the season. Seven different players took the mound for the Cougars on Saturday.
 
After five games in five days, Columbus State will have six days before it plays again, taking the field next Friday at Georgia Southwestern. First pitch is scheduled for 5 p.m. in Americus.