AIKEN, S.C. - The eighth-ranked Columbus State University baseball team wrapped up the weekend by taking two-of-three from USC Aiken after splitting a doubleheader on Sunday at Roberto Hernandez Stadium in Aiken, S.C.

The Cougars (19-4, 5-1 PBC) dropped the opening game on Sunday 6-0 before bouncing back to claim a 10-5 win in the rubber match. 

"You always take winning a series on the road," commented head coach Greg Appleton. "Give their first guy credit for keeping us off balance in game one, but I liked how we responded to put up a 10-spot in game two today."

GAME 1 | USCA 6, CSU 0

Joel Haney stymied the Cougar offense in the opener on Sunday, tossing a complete-game, one-hitter to lift USC Aiken (9-12, 3-3 PBC) to the win. Haney struck out 12 in the victory, with Steven Minter (1-for-4) being the lone Cougar with a hit. 

The Pacers got all the runs they needed in the second after four straight run-scoring hits. Carson Suess and Jeff Cyr had RBI doubles off Cougar starter Noah Windhorst in the frame.

Windhorst settled in and was able to get through four before Jamie Boatright took over in the fifth. The lefty tossed a scoreless fifth, but Cyr struck again for USCA in the sixth, this time with an RBI single, to put the Pacers up 5-0.

Cyr capped off the scoring in the eighth with a sacrifice fly to collect his third RBI of the game. 

Windhorst (3-2) allowed four runs on nine hits, while three other Cougars saw action. Leo Giannoni (1 IP, 1 K) was the only CSU pitcher to record a scoreless appearance.

GAME 2 | CSU 10, USCA 5 (F/7)

Both offenses came to play in game two, with USC Aiken jumping out to a 3-0 lead after one. The Pacers strung together again as three straight singles put the hosts on the board.

Unlike game one though, the USCA pitching staff couldn't keep the Cougar bats quiet as Columbus State erupted for eight runs in the second. Connor Kirley put the first runs of the day on the board for the Cougars with a one-out, two-run single to plate David Meadows and Win Johns. 

USCA starter Jacob Rye was one out away from escaping the jam after getting a strikeout, but Colby Brabston had other plans. The lefty slugger hit a 3-run blast to right to put the Cougars on top 5-3.

The rally continued. Following a walk from Robert Brooks, four straight singles gave the Cougars an 8-3 lead.

The Pacers got into the Cougar bullpen in the fourth after a single and walk chased CSU starter Colton Joyner from the game. Austin Elliot came in and got a groundout but a two-run double from Josh Sharp cut CSU's lead to three. Elliot got out of the inning without any more damage being done. 

Columbus State quickly bumped the lead to 10-5 following a 2-run blast from Isaac Bouton in the fifth.

Elliot put up zeros on the board in the fifth and sixth before turning the game over to Logan Seehafter in the seventh for a 1-2-3 inning to secure the win.

Bouton (2-for-4, 2-run HR) and Johns (2-for-3, SB, RBI) both had two hits for CSU. 

Elliot tossed 2.2 scoreless innings, allowing just one hit. Joyner allowed five in his 3.1-inning start.

Rye (1-1) took the loss after allowing six runs in 1.2 innings. Sharpe was 3-for-4 at the plate.

UP NEXT
The Cougars return home for a midweek contest against the University of Montevallo on Wednesday, March 16. First pitch is at 5 p.m. at Burger King Stadium.

GAME NOTES
• CSU has won every series it has played in this season (6-0)
• Six Cougars drove in at least one run in game two (Brabston 3, Bouton 2, Kirley 2, Johns 1, Meadows 1, Seth Nelson 1)
• Minter extended his on-base streak to 26. Bouton's streak was snapped at 29 in game one
• The Cougars have scored 10 or more runs in 13 games this season
• The 6-0 loss in game one was the first shutout thrown against the Cougars this year
• Head coach Greg Appleton is now two wins away from 1,000 in his collegiate coaching career
• Columbus State has won three straight series over USC Aiken and led the all-time series 54-38