COLUMBUS - Looking for its first Peach Belt Conference Tournament championship since 2016, the Columbus State University baseball team will travel to Dahlonega, Ga. to take on 22nd-ranked University of North Georgia in the best-of-three championship series this weekend.

The series will begin on Saturday at 2 p.m. at Bob Stein Stadium with game two taking place on Sunday at 1 p.m. If the two teams split the first two contests, the if-necessary game will follow 30 minutes after the final out of game two. 

After knocking out the tournament's top-seed UNC Pembroke in the semifinal round last weekend, the Cougars turn their attention to the second-seeded Nighthawks. CSU took the series opener 7-3 against the Braves before clinching its place in the championship series with a 14-10 win on Sunday. The Cougars hit four homers in the second game, including two from Matthew McDade. 

First team All-PBC catcher Robert Brooks enters the weekend on a 23-game on-base streak after putting together back-to-back two-hit games in the semifinals. The slugger hit his 20th homer of the year in the series and is tied for second at the NCAA DII level in homer runs this season. Brooks has a 1.312 OPS, including a .492 on-base percentage, which is the second-best mark in the PBC.

Joining Brooks on the all-conference teams were Isaac Bouton (first team shortstop) and Dane Bullock (second team outfielder). Bouton helped fuel CSU in the game one win over UNC Pembroke with a 3-for-5 performance, including smacking a double and homer. Bullock has a hit in five straight games and collected three runs and three RBIs against UNCP last weekend. 

Steven Minter (6-for-11, 2B) and Connor Kirley (4-for-8, 3B, HR, 4 RBIs, 4 runs) had traffic starts to their postseasons at the plate.

Senior Jalen Latta (4-4, 5.40 ERA) pitched well against the Braves to pick up the game one win in the semifinals, allowing three runs while striking out six in the six-inning start. Late inning relievers Brady Kais (2 IP, 4 Ks) and Miles Dutton (W, 1.2 IP, 2 Ks) played key roles for the Cougars in the semifinal round. 

North Georgia had to rally after losing the first game of its semifinal series with Young Harris to reach the PBC Tournament finals for the first time since 2009. UNG forced the if-necessary game following a 6-3 game two win before punching its ticket to the championship thanks to a dramatic 12-10 walk-off victory. 

The Nighthawks had six All-PBC selections, including first teamers Nik Levensteins and Cade Heil. Levensteins is a threat at the plate, hitting .351 with 19 home runs and a league-high 62 RBIs. In 13 starts, Heil is a perfect 8-0 on the hill for UNG with a 5.24 ERA. 

Columbus State and North Georgia met for a three-game set on April 2 and 3 with the Cougars taking two-of-three thanks to a walk-off home run from Minter in the rubber game of the series. David Meadows was 6-for-11 against the Nighthawks, while Minter hit .429 (6-for-14) with two homers. 

CSU has won five PBC Tournament championships (1994, '96, '98, '06, '10, '16), the most in conference history, and reached the championship in 1998. The Cougars are 26-22 all-time in the PBC Tournament under 24th-year head coach Greg Appleton. 

The championship winner will receive the PBC's automatic bid to the 2021 NCAA Southeast Regional. 

Fans, can watch this weekend's series on the PBC Sports Network and also listen to Scott Miller call all the action remotely on 88.5 WCUG FM. Live statistics will be available as well. 

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