COLUMBUS - The eighth-ranked Columbus State University baseball team is in Augusta, Ga. this weekend for a three-game Peach Belt Conference series against Augusta University. 

SERIES SCHEDULE
Game One: Saturday, March 19 - noon
Game Two: Saturday, March 19 - 3 p.m. (7 innings)
Game Three: Sunday, March 20 - 1 p.m.

CSU NOTES
• The Cougars (20-4, 5-1 PBC) are fresh off a 5-4 10-inning win over the University of Montevallo on Wednesday in Columbus. Isaac Bouton delivered the walk-off single in the 10th to cap off a 4-for-6 night at the plate
• Columbus State remained eighth in the latest NCBWA nation poll, while moving up to fifth in the Collegiate Baseball Newspaper rankings
• The Cougars haven't lost a series this season (6-0)
• Head coach Greg Appleton is one win away from 1,000 career wins. Appleton holds an 872-453 record at the helm of the Cougars while going 127-74 at Young Harris College in the mid-1990s
• Six Cougars have five or more homers. Matthew McDade (8) and Robert Brooks (7) rank second and third in the PBC respectively 
• As a team, Columbus State is third in the nation with 44 homers. CSU has 20 more than the University of North Georgia, which ranks second in the PBC  
• The Cougars lead the nation in runs (260) and walks (151)
• Peyton Burton has thrown 9.1 straight scoreless innings over his last five appearances. He is 2-0 with two saves in 2022 with a 0.98 ERA in 18.1 innings
• Devin Dudal is 2-0 over his last two starts with 11 strikeouts in 12 innings. In his last two road starts, the senior has allowed just one earned run in 13.1 innings. Dudal is tied for seventh in the PBC with 34 strikeouts
• The Cougars are the first team in the PBC to reach 20 wins

AUGUSTA NOTES
• Augusta (7-13, 0-6 PBC) was swept last weekend at the hands of Young Harris
• AU is off to a slow start in PBC play, dropping its first six games. The Jaguars have been outscored 61-20 in those games
• Augusta can swing the bat, ranking third in the PBC in runs (143), averaging over six runs per game
• Kyle LaRoche (.377, 5 XBH), Harrison Aulds (.356, 6 2Bs, 16 RBIs) and Pat Galvin (.354, 9 XBH) are all hitting above .350
• Ben Markiewicz has a team-high four homers to go along with a 1.054 OPS 
• Chase Horton leads the pitching staff with a 2-3 record and a 4.13 ERA. He has 18 strikeouts in 28.1 innings
• Britt Kelly holds a 1.88 ERA out of the bullpen in seven appearances

SERIES HISTORY
• The Cougars own the all-time series over their long-time rivals, holding a 100-23 mark against the Jaguars
• The Cougars have won 13 straight against Augusta, with the last lost coming during the 2017 season
• CSU has won 26 of the last 28 meetings since 2012