DAHLONEGA, Ga. - The Cougars are champions once again. The fourth-seeded Columbus State University baseball team continued its barrage in postseason play on Sunday, defeating the 22nd-ranked and second-seeded University of North Georgia 15-4 to capture the 2021 Peach Belt Conference Tournament championship presented by Under Armor on Sunday. The championship series was hosted by UNG at Bob Stein Stadium.

The Cougars grabbed the program's sixth PBC Tournament title (1994, '96, '06, '10, '16, '21), and first since 2016, behind a complete-game effort from Devin Dudal and four more home runs. The six tournament crowns are the most by any PBC school.

The season will continue for the Cougars (29-14) as CSU will receive the conference's automatic bid to the upcoming 2021 NCAA Southeast Regional in Tigerville, S.C. It will be the 27th NCAA regional appearance for Columbus State and 12th under head coach Greg Appleton. 

"This group of guys is special," commented head coach Greg Appleton. "People won't realize how difficult the path to this championship was, but our guys never doubted themselves, and they showed how dangerous of a team we can be if things are clicking."

It wasn't for certain the Cougars would clinch the championship series in two games after North Georgia (30-15) platted three runs in the first. UNG got to Dudal on a three-run home run from Brady Eeles following a hit batsman a single to take an early lead.

However, like they did yesterday, the Cougar bats came alive. Dane Bullock made it a one-run game in the second thanks to a two-run shot, while a five-spot in the third put CSU ahead 7-3. The first three hitters reached to begin the inning, including a double from Colby Brabston, to load the bases for the hot-hitting Steven Minter. The first baseman continued his torrid streak, hitting an opposite-field grand slam to right-centerfield to put the Cougars on top. Later in the inning, an RBI groundout from Connor Kirley made it 7-3.

The two teams traded runs in the fifth with Will Wilbanks homering for the second straight game for the Cougars in their half of the inning. 

The backend of the game was all Columbus State as Dudal was in complete control. After the Cougars scored two runs on just one hit in the sixth to increase their lead to 10-4, run-scoring hits from Brabston and Robert Brooks broke the game open in the seventh. Both hits came with two outs with Brabston legging out an infield hit, while Brooks smacked a double to left-centerfield to make it a 13-4 game.

Dudal just kept getting stronger as the game went on. The righty allowed a one-out single in the sixth before retiring the final 11 batters of the game. Over the final three innings, UNG didn't get the ball out of the infield in fair territory with Dudal striking out three, including the final batter of the game before being swarmed on the mound by his teammates.

Columbus State scored at least a run in each of the final four innings. David Meadows crushed CSU's ninth homer of the championship series in the eighth, while the final run of the game touched home via a Brooks' third hit of the afternoon.

Minter (1-for-5, grand slam) was named the tournament MVP after hitting .500 (10-for-20) with nine RBIs over the four games. Brooks (3-for-4, 2B, 2 BBs, run) drove in three on Sunday. Brabston (2-for-5, 4 runs, 2B, RBI), Meadows (2-for-4, 3 runs, solo HR, 2 BBs) and Wilbanks (2-for-4, solo HR, 2B, 2 runs) all had multi-hit days for the Cougars.

Dudal tossed the first nine-inning complete game of the year for Columbus State. The righty allowed four runs (three earned) and scattered four hits. He walked three, while racking up six strikeouts.

UP NEXT
Columbus State will await to see what seed it will be for the 2021 NCAA Southeast Region, which begins on Thursday, May 27. The selection show for the tournament will be on Sunday, May 23.