DAHLONEGA, Ga. - The fifth-ranked Columbus State University baseball team put its offense on display on Sunday, pounding out 12 hits in an 11-1 seven-inning victory over the University of North Georgia at Bob Stein Stadium.  

The Cougars (31-6, 15-3 PBC) scored at least a run in each of the final six innings to finish off taking 2-of-3 from UNG in a critical Peach Belt Conference series.

"This was a huge win, no question about it," commented head coach Greg Appleton. "We needed to win this series, and the guys deserve credit for coming out here locked in from the get-go."

After a scoreless first, it didn't take long for Columbus State to get on the board in the second. Win Johns began the frame off with a single before Derek Wylie launched a two-run homer over the left-centerfield wall to give the Cougars the lead.

The extra-base hits continued coming for the Cougars in the fourth and fifth. After a wild pitch made it 3-0, a leadoff error came back to haunt the Nighthawks in the fourth. Colby Brabston was at the plate with two-on and two-out before ripping a triple to deep center to clear the bases. Robert Brooks immediately followed with a single to push the margin to 6-0.

Columbus State kept up the attack, scoring three more two-out runs in the fifth. Connor Kirley had the big blow in the frame with CSU's second two-run triple of the afternoon, while a UNG error gave Columbus State a 9-0 margin.

The run support was plenty for Cougar starter Colton Joyner, who cruised in a complete-game effort. The Columbus native allowed just four hits, with North Georgia scoring its lone run on a two-out double in the seventh. The big righty struck out six while issuing one walk.

CSU scored its final two runs on the day on RBI singles from Johns in the sixth and Trace Twardoski in the seventh.

Four Cougars had two hits, while three knocked in a pair. Wylie was 2-for-4 to go with his two-run homer.

UP NEXT
Columbus State stays in PBC play and opens a three-game series with Lander University on Thursday, April 14 at 7 p.m. at Burger King Stadium in Columbus.

COUGAR NOTES
• The Cougars remain unbeaten in series play in 2022 (10-0)
• Columbus State has homered in 14 straight games
• CSU hasn't lost back-to-back games this season
• Brooks' 2-for-5 day at the plate extended his hitting streak to 11 games. It's the longest by a Cougar this season
• It was the first time CSU had two triples in a game since March 15, 2019
• Joyner tossed Columbus State's second complete game of the year. It was the first in the sophomore's career
•  The Cougars have scored 10 or more runs in 21 of their 37 games this season
• Columbus State leads the all-time series 30-22 over UNG since the Nighthawks joined the NCAA ranks in 2006