DAHLONEGA, Ga. - A pair of three-run innings by the fifth-ranked Columbus State University baseball team fueled the Cougars to a 9-2 series-opening win over the University of North Georgia Friday night at Bob Stein Stadium in Dahlonega, Ga.
The long ball played a role in the outbursts, including a three-run shot by
Derek Wylie in the second.
"Give credit to the guys for coming out here with some intensity," commented head coach
Greg Appleton. "We didn't let an early run get to us tonight, and it was nice to grab a win to begin the series.
Those guys are a good team and are playing well right now, so we have to be ready tomorrow."
After UNG (23-12) scored a first-inning run, back-to-back leadoff walks from Cade Heil started trouble for the Nighthawks. Wylie quickly put the Cougars on top 3-1 by cranking a 0-2 pitch for a homer.
The longball wasn't done hurting Heil as
Isaac Bouton began the third with a solo blast. Two straight hits followed before
Steven Minter laced a double into leftfield to put Columbus State ahead 5-1.
That would be plenty of support for Cougar starter
Devin Dudal. After the Nighthawks clawed out a single run in the third, Dudal (8-2) blanked UNG over his final two innings to grab the win. The two-time reigning PBC Pitcher of the Week scattered seven hits over five innings while striking out nine.
The Columbus State offense continued to pound out runs in the latter part of the game. After
Robert Brooks picked up an RBI single in the sixth, the graduate senior launched his PBC-leading 12th home run in the eighth. Wylie knocked in his fourth run of the game in the ninth.
Brooks (3-for-5, HR, 2 RBIs, 2 runs, SB) led CSU with three hits, while Wylie (2-for-5, 4 RBIs, run) drove in a season-high four.
Austin Elliott,
Logan Seehafer and
Leo Giannoni all tossed scoreless innings out of the bullpen for the Cougars.
UP NEXT
The two teams play the middle game of the three-game set on Saturday at 2 p.m. at Bob Stein Stadium.
GAME NOTES
• The Cougars have won five in a row
• Columbus State has homered in 12 straight games
• The home run by Brooks puts him in third place all alone on the all-time PBC homer list. The catcher has 57 career home runs and entered the night tied with Andres Peres (U. of North Georgia 2017-21)
• Dudal has won six straight decisions. He is now 6-0 in PBC play with a 3.03 ERA
• Wylie is 7-for-14 with three homers and seven RBIs over the last three games
• Brooks upped his hitting streak to nine games, while
David Meadows has reached base in 13 straight
• The loss snapped a nine-game winning streak for North Georgia
