COLUMBUS, GA. – The Columbus State baseball team suffered its second straight loss to open the season with an 8-6 setback to the University of West Alabama Tigers on Sunday afternoon inside Burger King Stadium.
HOW IT HAPPENED
- The Cougars scored three runs in the game's opening inning as junior Jax Yoxtheimer took advantage of a West Alabama throwing error to score the first run of the afternoon, followed by an RBI single from senior Bryce Knox, which put CSU ahead 3-0.
- West Alabama responded with two runs of its own in the top half of the second frame to cut the deficit to just one run.
- After a scoreless third inning, the Tigers scored twice in the fourth, drawing consecutive bases-loaded walks to take a 4-3 lead.
- Columbus State put runners on first and second in both the fourth and fifth innings, but were unable to bring any runners around to score.
- The seventh inning of play saw the Cougars score on a two-out RBI single from senior Michael Cruz before tying the game at 5-all when junior Corey Berry drew a bases-loaded walk for his first RBI in a Columbus State uniform.
- The Tigers took the lead back in the visiting half of the eighth inning with two runs on three hits and three walks.
- Senior Warrick Wilmot cut the deficit in half with a sacrifice fly in the bottom of the eighth.
- West Alabama added an insurance run to the board in the top of the ninth, while Columbus State went scoreless in the home half to end the game.
NOTES
- Senior Cayden Evans recorded Columbus State's only multi-hit effort, finishing 2-for-3 with a double, two walks, and two runs scored.
- Four Cougars tallied one hit in the loss, while Knox recorded a team-high two RBI. Berry, Cruz, and Wilmot also had one RBI apiece.
- Cruz, Evans, and Yoxtheimer each drew two walks.
- Sophomore right-hander Sawyer Wilson pitched 1.1 scoreless innings of relief, giving up just one hit with a strikeout.
- Sophomore right-hander Bailey Thorne (0-1) suffered the loss, giving up three runs on five hits and four walks with two strikeouts across 2.2 innings of relief.
- Columbus State drew nine walks in the game but left a total of 12 runners on base.
UP NEXT
Columbus State hits the road for a three-game series against Lenoir-Rhyne University on Friday, Feb. 6, in Hickory, N.C. The Bears were ranked No. 3 in the ABCA Preseason Coaches Poll and No. 6 overall in the 2026 NCBWA Media Poll after winning 50 games a year ago.
