COLUMBUS - The 24th-ranked Columbus State University baseball team and Young Harris College split a pair of games to begin a crucial three-game Peach Belt Conference series at Ragsdale Field at Burger King Stadium on Sunday. 

The Cougars (22-11, 17-11 PBC) rallied to take game one 9-6 before the Mountian Lions (20-15, 18-12) evened the series with a 10-5 victory in the nightcap. The two teams are separated by just a half-game for third-place in the PBC standings.

"I'm not shocked at all that this series is going to be decided tomorrow," stated CSU head coach Greg Appleton. "Young Harris can swing the bat, and we are both playing for our postseason lives, so I expected both sides are going to bring the intensity to the ballpark tomorrow."

Game One (CSU 9-6)

The fireworks started late in game one as the two teams combined for 11 runs over the sixth and seventh innings. 

It was the Cougars who had to come from behind as Young Harris held a 3-1 lead after three full innings. After YHC moved ahead 1-0 on a bases-loaded walk in the second, Jackson Jones lined a two-run homer over the left-field wall to extend the lead to 3-0.

CSU cut into the lead in the third, thanks to one swing of the bat from Robert Brooks. The junior catcher blasted an opposite-field homer with two outs in the third to put CSU on the board.

Over the middle innings, Cougar starter Jalen Latta settled in and allowed time for his offense to get going. The senior allowed just one hit during the three-inning stretch, including setting down the side in order in the fourth and sixth.

The Columbus State offense went to work in the sixth. Colby Brabston led off with a single, but back-to-back flyouts nearly got Chad Brown out of the inning. However, a key walk from David Meadows brought Dane Bullock to the plate, who placed a double just out of the reach of the right fielder that scored both Brabston and Meadows to tie the game at three.

Will Wilbanks followed with an RBI single, while Connor Kirley found a hole for a double to push CSU in front 5-3.

The lead didn't last long though as a three-run homer from Tucker Greer put the Mountain Lions right back in front. 

Needing another rally, the Cougars got the spark from a stolen base from Robert Brooks. After a one-out single, Brooks swiped second before the next four CSU hitters reached successfully. Meadows and Bullock played pivotal roles once again, with Meadows tying the game at six with an RBI double, while Bullock made it 8-6 with a single after another CSU run scored on a wild pitch during his at-bat. An error later in the inning gave Columbus State a much-needed insurance run.

YHC brought the tying run to the plate in the eight after a single and a walk chased Brady Kais out of the game. Miles Dutton would enter and get out of the jam after a strikeout and inducing a double play. Things got even more worrisome in the ninth as the Mountain Lions loaded the bases with just one out against Dutton. However, Dutton got Jones to roll into a 6-4-3 double play to secure the win for the Cougars.

Dutton picked his first save of the year in the two-inning appearance, while Kais (2-1) was rewarded with the win. Latta logged a quality start for CSU after allowing three runs in six innings of work. The lefty struck out seven.

Brooks (3-for-5, solo HR, SB, 2 runs) and Meadows (3-for-3, 2B, RBI, 2 runs) both had three hits for the Cougars. Bullock (2-for-4, 2B, SB, 2 runs) drove in three.

Game Two (YHC 10-5)

Game two was a pitching duel early with starters Jake Hershman and Mark Castle throwing up zeros on the board through three. Hershman sat down the first nine batters he retired, including collecting five strikeouts over the first two innings. 

The Mountain Lions finally got to Hershman in the fourth as three straight singles plated the game's first run. Another single later in the inning made it 2-0, but Hershman limited the damage after getting Jones to roll into a double play.

The Cougar responded though, quickly loading the bases in their half of the fourth. A Brooks single, a Steven Minter walk and a fielder's choice that didn't result in an out brought Bullock to the plate in a prime situation. The senior came through with a sharp two-run double to tie the game. Meadows later came around to score via a wild pitch to put CSU ahead 3-2.

A five-spot put Young Harris firmly in control in the fifth after CSU had to use three pitchers to get through the inning. The Mountain Lions tallied five hits in the frame, including back-to-back run-scoring base knocks from Dahlton Cash and Jones. 

YHC added on in the sixth, scoring two more times to move in front 9-3.

Columbus State got two runs back in its half of the sixth on a two-run towering home run from Matthew McDade.

A Rome Wallace solo homer in the seventh scored the final run of the game. 

Brooks (3-for-5, run), Bullock (2-for-4, 2B, 2 RBIs) and Will Wilbanks (2-for-3, run) all had multi-hit games for the Cougars.

Six different Cougars took the mound in game two, including Russell Forthofer who threw a scoreless ninth. Hershman (3-1) took the loss after allowing four runs over four innings. 

UP NEXT
Columbus State and Young Harris wrap up the series on Monday at Burger King Stadium. First pitch is at 2 p.m.

COUGAR NOTES
• Game two of doubleheaders haven't been kind to CSU of late. The Cougars have lost three straight, including two at BK Stadium.
• Isaac Bouton's on-base streak was snapped at 42 games. The freshman had reached base in every game of the 2021 season before Sunday. 
• The Cougars stole four bases in game one. It's the second time in four games CSU has swiped at least four bases. 
• YHC smacked 16 hits in its game two victory. The 16 hits are tied for the second-most allowed by the Cougar pitching staff this season.
• The series features two of the nation's top power hitters and both didn't disappoint on Sunday. Greer, who leads the nation in homers at the NCAA DII level, hit his 18th of the season, while Brooks hit his 16th. Brooks is currently third in the nation in home runs.
• The homer was also the 39th in Brooks' career, which ties him for fifth all-time in CSU history with Keith Daugherty (1992-95) and Matt Mathews (1994-97).
• Bullock went a combined 4-for-8 on Sunday to extend his hitting streak to nine games. The senior has seven multi-hit games during the stretch. Only Minter (11 games) and Brabston (11 games) have had a hitting streak reach 10 games this season.