AMERICUS, Ga. - The sixth-ranked Columbus State University baseball team capped off a three-game sweep of Georgia Southwestern University with a 12-2 victory on Sunday at Hurricane Stadium.

Colton Joyner fired six innings of one-run ball, while Matthew McDade (2-for-4, 2-run 2B) and Steven Minter (2-for-5, 2-run homer) both knocked in two runs to help the Cougars (29-5, 13-2 PBC) pick up their fourth series sweep of the season.

"We did a great job setting the tone early today," commented head coach Greg Appleton. "Putting up runs quick is a huge difference-maker, and it helped Colton get in a grove right away."

The Cougars didn't wait long to flex their muscles on Sunday. After Robert Brooks was hit by a pitch with two outs in the first, Steven Minter crushed a hanging breaking ball to center to put CSU ahead 2-0.

The Hurricanes continued to give CSU opportunities as another two-out hit batsman started a rally in the third. Colby Brabston was plunked before moving to second on a wild pitch with the dangerous Brooks at the plate. Brooks made GSW pay, lacing a single into the left-centerfield gap to add to the lead.

Georgia Southwestern (12-20, 8-7) strung together three straight two-out hits in the third to score its lone run off of Joyner in the bottom of the third. However, the Cougars answered right back with a four-run fourth to move in front 7-1.

CSU had the hitting parade going early in the inning as singles by David Meadows, Win Johns and Derek Wylie pushed across the first run of the inning. The Cougars turned to the fundamentals from there as sacrifice flies from Connor Kirley and Isaac Bouton made it a 6-1 game.

The Cougars closed the door on any comeback attempt in the fifth with three more runs. Meadows drove one in with a sacrifice fly, while McDade produced the big blow thanks to a two-run double.

That would be plenty of support for Joyner as the righty wrapped up a great weekend from the Cougar staff. The Columbus native struck out six en route to collecting his sixth win of the season.

Chandler Ring (1 IP, 1 ER), Zack Brockman (1 IP) and Leo Giannoni (1 IP) tossed the final three innings for the Cougars.

CSU added on two runs in the ninth after an error in right field allowed Wylie and Kirley to touch the plate. 

UP NEXT
The Cougars stay on the road for a midweek tilt against the University of Montevallo on Wednesday, April 6 at 6 p.m. CSU defeated UM 5-4 in 10 innings in Columbus on March 16.

GAME NOTES
• It was the 20th game this season that Columbus State scored 10 or more runs
• CSU's starters posted a 1.96 ERA in 18.1 innings this weekend. Devin Dudal, Noah Windhorst and Joyner combined to strike out 23 hitters in the starts 
• CSU has homered in 11 straight games
• Meadows extended his on-base streak to 12 games, while Brooks upped his hitting streak to eight
• The Cougars haven't lost a series this season (9-0)
• CSU is 40-9 against GSW since the Hurricanes joined the NCAA (2007 season)