COLUMBUS - The Columbus State University baseball team loses the last game of their series against USC Aiken by a score of 4-5 on Sunday, March 19. The Cougars are now 19-6 on the season and 11-4 in Peach Belt Conference play. USC Aiken improves to 19-7 overall and 11-1 in the PBC.

For the second game in a row, the Cougars took the lead in the bottom of the first inning. Trace Twardoski stepped into the box with bases loaded, no out and he scorched a ball past the third baseman for a two-rbi double. Twardoski had two hits on the day and led CSU with two rbi's. Seth Nelson came up later in the inning and missed a homerun by a matter of a couple feet but he scored Matthew McDade on the sac-fly.

USC Aiken responded in the top of the second inning by scoring two runs as eight Pacers came to the plate that inning. Columbus State starting pitcher, Peyton Burton, did a great job in limiting the damage to only two runs as he preserved the lead. 

Both pitching staffs were outstanding today as there was no scoring in innings three through six. Jamie Boatright pitched 4.1 innings in relief and he got seven consecutive outs to start his appearance. In the seventh inning, the Pacers would strike for three runs in the inning and they took a 5-3 lead on CSU. Columbus State would score one in the eighth inning off a squeeze bunt from Ian King but were unable to scratch across anymore.

UP NEXT:
Columbus State will travel to Pensacola, Fla. on Tuesday, March 21 for a two day, two game series against the University of West Florida. First pitch scheduled for 6 p.m. on Tuesday.