COLUMBUS - With Columbus State University down to its final out, Steven Minter launched a two-run, walkoff home run over the left field wall to give the 24th-ranked Cougars a critical 9-8 victory over 22nd-ranked University of North Georgia in the second game of a Saturday doubleheader at Burger King Stadium.

After CSU (14-8, 12-8 PBC) took the opening game of the day 12-2 in seven innings, it took late-innings dramatics for the Cougars to rally in the nightcap. North Georgia entered the bottom of the eighth holding an 8-6 lead before CSU inched closer. David Meadows lead off the frame with an infield single to third and then swiped second with Dane Bullock at the plate. The stolen base came in handy as Bullock laced a single to left to score Meadows from second. 

UNG reliever Eddie Galatas took the one-run lead into the ninth where things looked bleak for Columbus State. Colby Brabston earned a one-out walk but a fly out brought the Nighthawks one out from the series win. Minter had different plans though. The first-year Cougar cranked a 1-0 pitch to left for his second two-run bomb of the afternoon to give Columbus State the climactic win. 

"What a game," commented head coach Greg Appleton. "You could feel the urgency in the air all day because these were two huge games for both ball clubs. Our guys just fought hard and never gave up hope, and I'm glad it paid off for us."

Columbus State held an early 2-0 lead thanks to Minter's first two-run blast of the game in the first, but North Georgia put a four-spot on the board in the second off of Cougar starter Jamie Boatright. After Boatright retired the first two hitters of the inning, the next five Nighthawks reached, including back-to-back doubles by Crews Taylor and Tim Conway that made it 4-2. 

The long ball continued to be CSU's best friend in the third. Following a Brabston single, Robert Brooks hit his team-leading 11th home run of the year to even things at four. 

The game turned into a home run derby in the fifth. Bill LeRoy hit the first of the frame before Nik Levensteins smashed a two-run shot to right to give UNG a 7-4 lead. CSU had an answer though, as Meadows hit a two-run shot of his own to once again make it a one-run game.

North Georgia (20-9, 19-8) added its eighth run of the game in the seventh after a throwing error on a failed pickoff attempt put Brandon Eeles into scoring position. Jake Howard would make the error pay with an RBI single up the middle before Miles Dutton began putting up the zeros. The Cougar reliever retired the next eight hitters he faced following Howard's single, allowing CSU's bats to come alive for the come-from-behind victory. Dutton (2-0) allowed just the one hit in 3 innings of work to record his second victory of the season.

Boatright lasted just two innings in the start, allowing four runs on four hits and two walks. Noah Windhorst (2.1 IP, 5 H, 3 ER) and Dalton Bradford (1.2 IP, 1 R 3 K's) also made appearances for the Cougars.

Minter went 3-for-5 with two homers and four RBIs. The first baseman also scored twice. Brooks (2-for-5) and Meadows (3-for-4, SB) both drove in two thanks to their two-run homers.

Game One (CSU 12-2/7 INN)

Game one didn't have all the drama as Columbus State jumped out to a 4-0 lead in the first. All the damage came with two outs as Minter extended the inning by clanging a double off the right-centerfield wall to put two runners into scoring position for Meadows. The junior would hit a double of his own, scoring both Minter and Brooks, who reached on a fielder's choice, to open the game's scoring. A Dane Bullock single and a wild pitch later in the frame added two more runs for the Cougars.

The Nighthawks attempted to get back in the game with single runs in the second and third. A Will Hardigree sacrifice fly scored UNG's first run in the second, while a passed ball helped contribute a run in the third.

The Cougars got their bats going again in the fourth with timely hits by Brooks and Bullock. CSU got help to start the inning as Connor Kirley drew a walk and Isaac Bouton was hit by a pitch forcing UNG to make a pitching change. Things didn't go much better for new pitcher Jordan Krueger. After getting a pop-up for the first out, Brooks made it 5-2 with a sharp single up the middle. It was Bullock later in the inning, delivering with the bases loaded by finding a hole for a two-run single.

CSU got a run in the fifth without the benefit of a hit when back-to-back wild pitches scored Bouton. An inning later, the Cougars manufactured a run thanks to their speed. Meadows swiped third base with Seth Nelson also on first. Nelson didn't attempt to steal, but did wander too far off from first forcing a throw by the UNG third baseman. On the throw, Meadows took off for the plate and slide safely before the tag was applied to give the Cougars a 9-2 lead.

Columbus State capped off the mercy-rule win with three runs in the seventh. Meadows had the big hit in the frame, a two-run triple before scoring the clinching run of the game on a sacrifice fly from Bullock.

Meadows had a monster game, going 3-for-3 with a double and a triple. He drove in four, walked twice and drove in four. Bullock also had four RBIs after going 2-for-4. 

Jake Hershman (2-0) relived Tyler Cadenhead after the third and pitched well to earn the victory. He tossed four scoreless innings, allowing just two hits and three walks. The righty struck out five in the outing. Cadenhead surrendered two runs in the three-inning start. 

UP NEXT
Columbus State will host a rare midweek doubleheader against Spring Hill College on Wednesday, April 7 at Burger King Stadium. First pitch will be at 3 p.m. Both games of the doubleheader are scheduled for seven innings.

Cougar Notes
• Meadows hit for the cycle over the two games on Saturday. In all, he was 6-for-7 with six total RBIs and two stolen bases, while scoring five times. His game two home run was the first in his Cougar career. 
• Minter also had an impressive day at the plate. Thanks to his two-homer performance in game two, Minter finished the day 5-for-10 with three extra-base hits. 
• CSU scored seven total runs in the two games after the fifth inning compared to just one from UNG.
• Bouton reached base safely in both games on Saturday to extend his on-base streak to 33 games.
• CSU hit four, two-run home runs in game two. It's the second time this season that the Cougars have gone deep four times in one game (vs. Flagler - Feb. 20). Columbus State has hit three or more homers in a game on five different occasions this season.
• Dutton hasn't allowed a run in his last four appearances (10.2 innings). 
• The Cougars are 21-4 in their last 25 games in Columbus. 
• Columbus State has won nine straight series at Burger King Stadium.