COLUMBUS - Six different pitchers combined to throw a two-hit shutout, while Win Johns hit three home runs as the No. 6 Columbus State University baseball team blanked Tuskegee University 15-0 on Wednesday night. The non-conference game took place at Burger King Stadium in Columbus.

CSU (7-1) scored at least two runs in five different innings, including plating four in the third and five in the sixth. 

"It was great to give a few guys some at-bats tonight and to get some work in for our pitchers," commented head coach Greg Appleton. "I'm pumped for the great night Win had individually, and there were a few guys that had good outings. We got to be ready for this weekend though because Catawba is going to give us everything they have."

Columbus State started the scoring early as Derek Wylie smashed a two-run double in the first before Johns launched his first homer of the day in the second to make it 3-0. An error later in the frame gave CSU a quick 4-0 lead after two.

The Cougars broke the game open in the third, scoring four runs on three hits. After Wylie legged out an infield hit, Johns hit a two-run jack to left-center before Matthew McDade followed with a homer of his own to push the margin to 7-0. Colby Brabston picked up an RBI later in the inning after beating out a fielder's choice to extend the frame. 

Tuskegee would keep the Cougars at bay until the sixth when Columbus State upped the lead to 13-0. Seth Nelson pushed across a run on a sacrifice fly, while Will Wilbanks hit a bases-loaded double to grab three RBIs. 

Johns capped off his day and the scoring in the seventh by hitting his third homer over the left-field fence.

Meanwhile, the Cougar pitching staff was cruising. Tuskegee picked up a hit in both the first and second before CSU sat down the final 23 Tuskegee hitters. Chandler Ring (2 IP, 2 H, 2 Ks) started and earn the win before Peyton Burton (2 IP, 2 Ks), Zack Brockman (2 IP, 2 Ks), Austin Elliott (1 IP, 1 K), Leo Giannoni (1 IP, 2 K) and Avery Campbell (1 IP, 3 K) finished off the shutout.

Johns finished the night 3-for-4 with five RBIs, while Wyile drove in two after going 3-for-5 with two doubles.

UP NEXT
Columbus State will gear up for a three-game series at Catawba College beginning on Friday, Feb. 18 at 4 p.m. at Newman Park in Salisbury, N.C. 

COUGAR NOTES
• Johns is the first Cougar to hit three homers in a game since teammate Isaac Bouton accomplished the feat on April 11, 2021 against Georgia Southwestern University
• CSU has scored 10 or more runs in six of its eight games this season 
• Wylie leads the Peach Belt Conference with five doubles
• The Cougar pitching staff has allowed 1 run in 18 innings so far in mid-week action. CSU has racked up 24 strikeouts in the two games 
• Robert Brooks' 20-game hitting streak was snapped. The catcher's 36 game on-base streak was also snapped after the graduate senior reached base only due to an error, which does not continue the streak