COLUMBUS - The 25th-ranked Columbus State University baseball team scored 23 runs on 22 hits en route to a 23-4 thrashing of Georgia Southwestern University on Monday in the rubber match of a three-game Peach Belt Conference series. All the action took place at Ragsdale Field at Burger King Stadium.

The Cougars scored a run in every inning they stepped to the plate as they set new season-highs in runs and hits. 

"Everyone in the lineup was going today," added head coach Greg Appleton. "Hitting can be contagious, and we had it all working in a very important game. I don't want to leave our pitchers out of the conversation because Jake (Hershman) and Noah (Windhorst) did great jobs out there today."

The scoring started early and often as the Cougars got a solo homer in the bottom of the first from Robert Brooks. It was the junior's 13th of the year. In the second, CSU put up a five-spot after batting around the lineup. Connor Kirley had a two-run single in the frame before Isaac Bouton slammed a two-run blast. Later in the inning, David Meadow made it 6-0 on a two-out single into the right-center gap. 

Georgia Southwestern (15-14, 13-11 PBC) scored its only runs in the third. Cougar starter Jake Hershman lost his control in the inning as he issued two walks before Reid Ragsdale loaded the bases on a single. Miles Hartsfield would capitalize on the chance with a grand slam pulling the Hurricanes within two of the lead. 

After Columbus State (18-9, 14-9) got one of the runs back in its half of the third, the Cougars pushed across three more in the fourth to move in front 10-4. Dane Bullock (single), Kirley (walk) and Bouton (sac fly) all drove in runs in the inning.

In the fifth, the Cougars made it a 14-4 game after two-out hits by Matthew McDade (2-run 2B) and Kirley (2-run 1B). 

Meadows drove in the 15th run in the sixth on a sacrifice fly before Colby Brabston got in on the hit parade with a three-run blast off the Cunningham Center in the seventh. 

The Cougars cracked the 20-run plateau in the eighth after another five-run inning. Steven Minter led the frame off with a solo homer, while McDade picked up his second two-run double of the day. A balk and a groundout later in the inning pushed the Cougars' run total to 23. 

Minter (3-for-7, 2B, HR), Meadows (3-for-4, 3B, 3 runs, 2 RBIs, SB), Bullock (3-for-5, 4 runs, RBI, SB) and Kirley (3-for-3, 3 runs, 5 RBIs, SB) all had three hits for Columbus State.

Hershman pitched well in his first PBC start of the year. He tossed four innings, allowing four runs on just two hits. He struck out seven. Noah Windhorst improved to 3-1 after pitching four scoreless innings. Dalton Bradford pitched the ninth to close out the win.

UP NEXT
Columbus State will play a midweek game against Albany State on Wednesday, April 14 at 5 p.m. in Albany, Ga. CSU defeated the Golden Rams 8-3 in Columbus early this season on March 24.

Cougar Notes
• Every Cougar starter had at least a hit, while seven had two.
• The 23 runs are the most in a game for Columbus State since scoring 28 against Tuskegee University on March 10, 2015. 
• It's also the first time the Cougars have scored 23 or more in a PBC game since defeating the University of Montevallo 25-3 on March 16, 2013. 
• The 22 hits are the most in a game for the Cougars since April 6, 2016 (24 vs. Albany State University). 
• It's just the sixth time this season that a PBC team recorded 20 or more hits.
• It's the fifth time this season the Cougars hit four homers in a game. 
• CSU has hit a home run in six straight games.
• Bouton went 8-for-15 with five homers and eight RBIs in the three-game series. The second-year freshman scored seven times and increased his on-base streak to 38 straight games.
• Columbus State has 10 straight series at Burger King Stadium.
• The Cougars have won 25 of their last 30 games in Columbus.