COLUMBUS - The 25th-ranked Columbus State University baseball team swept a midweek doubleheader from Spring Hill College on Wednesday. The non-conference twin bill took place at Ragsdale Field at Burger King Stadium.

The Cougars (16-8) took the opener 11-2 before an 8-3 win closed out the day. 

"I thought our hitters did a great job today at the plate," commented head coach Greg Appleton. "They were on the attack and put up plenty of runs for our pitching staff." 

Game One (CSU 11-2)

It was an inauspicious start for Columbus State in game one as Spring Hill (11-12) plated two runs off of Cougar starter Timbo Trawick in the first. The lead didn't last long though, with Colby Brabston tying the score with a two-run opposite-field homer in CSU's half of the first.

After Noah Windhorst retired the side in order in the second, Columbus State moved in front 3-2. Will Wilbanks led off the inning with a double before Mason Davis drove him home on a comebacker right up the middle. 

It was Davis again in the fourth that picked up an RBI on a groundout to make it 4-2. Connor Kirley added to the lead with an RBI single to right later in the inning.

Columbus State used the long ball to put the game away in the fifth. Robert Brooks hit the first of three Cougar homers in the frame, a two-run shot over the right-centerfield wall to put CSU in front 7-2. Steven Minter followed with a solo homer of his own, while Dane Bullock put the capper on the inning with a two-run blast to left. 

That would be plenty of offense for the Cougar pitching staff. After Windhorst exited the game following four scoreless innings, Zack Brockman finished off the Badgers. Brockman struck out three SPC hitters in two innings of work. Windhorst (2-1) picked up the win.

Wilbanks was a perfect 3-for-3 at the plate with two doubles, while Bullock was 2-for-4 (2 runs, HR) with three RBIs. Brabston (2-for-3, 2-run HR), Brooks (2-for-3, 2-run HR) and Davis (1-for-4) all drove in two for the Cougars.

Game Two (CSU 8-3)

The nightcap was tied headed to the bottom of the fourth when the Cougars exploded for a five spot. In a 3-3 game, Will Pratt entered the game for Spring Hill and got the first hitter he faced to ground out before things took a turn for the worst.  Davis, Connor Kirley, and Isaac Bouton all singled to load the bases for the heart of the Cougar lineup.

Pratt would try his best to get out of the situation and was one-out away before he plunked Brooks with a pitch to force home the go-ahead run. With the bases still loaded, Minter stepped to the plate and blasted a grand slam over the left field wall to give CSU an 8-3 advantage.

The Badgers threatened to score in the fifth off of Dalton Bradford as back-to-back singles began the inning. However, a double play and strikeout got Bradford out of the jam. Brady Kais would follow with two scoreless innings out of the CSU bullpen to secure the fourth win in a row for the Cougars.

It was Columbus State who got on the board first in game two. Bouton began the bottom of the first by drawing a walk before Brabston singled to bring up Brooks. Brooks walked as well to bring up Minter to the plate with the bases full of Cougars. Minter skied a fly ball to right to bring home Bouton, while an errant throw on the play allowed Brabston to cross the plate for another run. David Meadows immediately followed with a single up the middle to score another Cougar run.

Spring Hill tied the game in the fourth with a three-run inning of its own. Four straight singles off of Devin Dudal brought home all three runs. Bradford was able to strand the go-ahead run on third after entering from the bullpen.

Seven different Cougars had a hit in game two, with Minter leading the way with five RBIs.

Bradford (2-1) grabbed the win on the mound after 1.2 innings of work. Jamie Boatright pitched two scoreless innings in his seventh start of the year.