COLUMBUS - Jamie Boatright tossed eight scoreless innings, while the Cougar offense stayed hot as the No. 12 Columbus State University baseball team defeated Albany State University 9-1 on Tuesday afternoon. It was CSU's home opener at Burger King Stadium.

Boatright (1-0) cruised in his first start, punching out nine and walking none in the effort. The lefty retired 10 in a row at one point and scattered seven hits. 

"You couldn't ask more from a start than that," commented head coach Greg Appleton. "This was a solid midweek win, but it's so early, and we are still seeing what we have as a team." 

The scolding Cougar offense gave Boatright plenty of support as CSU grabbed an early 3-0 lead. The Cougars quickly loaded the bases in the second before a throwing error on a fielder's choice scored the first two runs of the game. Connor Kirley later added a sacrifice fly to push the margin to 3-0. 

Albany State (0-1) would keep Columbus State at bay until the fifth when Kirley got things started with a leadoff single and move to second on a stolen base. After a fielding error, Robert Brooks and Steven Minter both laced singles into the outfield to make it 5-0. 

Columbus State added some insurance runs in the seventh and eighth while Boatright was rolling along. In the seventh, Minter picked up his second RBI-single of the day, while a passed ball allowed Brooks to cross the plate. Isaac Bouton capped off a good day at the plate in the eighth with a two-run double to cap off CSU's scoring.

Albany State's lone run came in the ninth on a solo homer by Hill Corley in the top of the ninth off of Logan Seehafer.

Bouton (2-for-4, 2 runs, 2B, 2 RBIs) and Minter (2-for-4, 2 RBIs)  had two hits for the Cougars.

UP NEXT
Columbus State will host Spring Hill College for a three-game set at Burger King Stadium beginning on Saturday, Feb. 12 at 3 p.m.  

COUGAR NOTES
• Brooks extended his hitting streak to 17 games and his on-base streak to 33 games dating back to last season
• The Cougars improve to 127-36 at home since the start of the 2015 season 
• It's the first 4-0 start for Columbus State since 2015
• Albany State used nine pitchers on Tuesday
• Boatright set career highs in innings pitched and strikeouts 
• Minter has driven in at least two runs in three of CSU's four games this year