COLUMBUS, GA. – The Columbus State baseball team gave up a late-game lead in a 10-9 loss to USC Beaufort on Friday night from Burger King Stadium in Peach Belt Conference action.
The loss snapped a five-game win streak for Columbus State, which falls to 18-10 overall with an 11-5 PBC record, while USC Beaufort improves to 7-23 with the win and now has a 2-17 mark in the Peach Belt.
HOW IT HAPPENED
- The Sand Sharks struck first with three runs on three hits in the second inning for an early 3-0 lead.
- Columbus State scratched its first run across the plate in the third as junior Jax Yoxtheimer walked, stole second, and later scored on a sacrifice fly from senior Cayden Evans.
- In the sixth, the Cougars loaded the bases with no outs before a Warrick Wilmot sac fly brought the team's second run home.
- Senior Michael Cruz sent an RBI single to center field to score two more runs for CSU before scoring from third on a passed ball. Fellow senior Jackson Chizek gave the Cougars a 7-3 lead with an RBI double to left, scoring two and capping off a six-run inning.
- However, USC Beaufort responded with a six-run inning of its own in the top of the seventh, taking advantage of two CSU fielding errors to gain a 9-7 advantage with just a few innings left to play. The USCB lead grew to 10-7 with a solo home run in the eighth.
- The Cougars left a runner stranded at third to end the seventh inning, but looked to rally in the ninth as junior Cole Eison hit a pinch-hit RBI double to right field to cut the deficit to two runs.
- Sophomore Luke Miller followed with a sac fly to left, cutting the Sand Shark lead to 10-9, but USC Beaufort got out of the jam to secure the series-opening win.
NOTES
- Chizek was 2-for-3 at the plate with a double, two RBI, and a run scored, while Cruz was 2-for-4 with two RBI and a run of his own.
- Senior Bryce Knox scored two runs from his clean-up spot, and Wilmot recorded a run scored, an RBI, and three walks.
- Yoxtheimer had two stolen bases in the game to bring his season total to 29 stolen bases on 33 attempts.
UP NEXT
Game two of the weekend series is set to begin on Saturday, March 28, at 2:00 p.m.
