MILLEDGEVILLE, Ga. – The Georgia College & State University Baseball team (21-23, 18-12 PBC) worked a split with an always-tough Columbus State University squad (34-13, 19-11 PBC) falling 14-2 in the opener before rebounding for a 10-3 victory in the nightcap on Senior Day at John Kurtz Field Saturday.

The Cougars got up early and big in game one, nabbing three runs in the first, four more in the third and four in the fourth. Trailing 11-0, the Bobcats got on the board in the bottom of the sixth on a two-run home run by senior Mason Spivey (Appling).

Senior Palmer Sapp (Douglasville) was 2-for-4 with a run scored on that home run, while senior third baseman Ben Tuten (Bristol) added a 2-for-3 effort. Rightfielder Brandon Bellflower (Milledgeville) was 2-for-2 with a double.

Senior Trey Felt (Lawrenceville) took his first loss this season in 3 1/3 innings of work, falling to 2-1.

In game two the Bobcats flipped the script, scoring single runs in the first and second to take an early lead. Spivey provided the second digit with his second home run of the doubleheader.

After CSU tied the game 2-2 in the top of the sixth, Sapp put GCSU back in front with a moonshot solo blast to left field. The Bobcats busted things open further with a four-run seventh and never looked back.

Sapp went 3-for-4 with four RBIs and two runs. The home run in the sixth was his third this season and eighth in his GCSU career. Spivey also was 3-for-4 plating two and scoring another. His round-tripper was his fourth this season and the fifth of his Bobcat career.

Bellflower was 2-for-4 with two runs and an RBI in this one, while first baseman Jaxon Weatherford (Charleston, South Carolina) had three hits in five trips and a run. Tuten had two more hits, an RBI and two runs.

Freshman righty John Luke Glanton (Metter) threw six innings for the win, improving to 3-2. He had a pair of unearned runs on six hits and no walks, fanning one. He turned things over to classmate John Raines (Powder Springs) who spun three innings with a single earned run and three strikeouts for his sixth save of the year.

Prior to today's contest Bobcat Athletics honored 11 senior student-athletes and their families for Senior Day. Those seniors were Tuten, Sapp, Spivey, Trey Felt, outfielder Matthew Chester (Evans), outfielder Hunter Baker (Huntersville, North Carolina), pitcher Preston Felt (Buford), pitcher Davis Swenson (Toccoa), pitcher Josh Hudgins (Dunwoody), pitcher Ashton Sturgell (Evans), and catcher Parker Kauffmann (Social Circle).

Hudgins was also named the recipient of the John Kurtz Award, given to the best representative of GCSU Baseball's senior class each year. It is the top honor Bobcat Baseball can award.

The Bobcats are back in action Monday, May 1 at 5 p.m., hosting No. 17 Valdosta State University.

Owning the top Academic Success Rate among public schools in Division II, the Georgia College Department of Athletics sponsors 11 varsity athletic programs at the NCAA Division II level. GCSU Athletics has won three-straight Presidents' Awards for Academic Excellence, and are two-time winners of both the PBC Commissioner's Cup and the PBC Institution of the Year Sportsmanship Award. As a Division II program, Bobcat Athletics prides itself on balancing the life of the student-athlete, evidenced by the teams' continued appearances in post-season competition as well as high-level academic success and community-service involvement. Bobcat Athletics embodies the mantra of "Graduating Champions for Life." Sign up at @GCSUBobcats on all social media outlets for up-to-the-minute reports.