MILLEDGEVILLE, Ga. | Columbus State University put together 14 hits as the Cougars took the opener of the Peach Belt Conference baseball series with Georgia College & State Universiry 6-1 Thursday (April 17) evening at John Kurtz Field.

The Cougars, who had 13 singles and a home run, improved to 23-19 overall and 13-9 in the Peach Belt, while the Bobcats slipped to 26-18 and 17-5. The teams play the middle game of their three-game series Friday (April 18) at 6 p.m.

Columbus State put three hits together in the first as a Cody Ferguson RBI single off GCSU starter Will Sims (2-2). The Cougars doubled their lead to 2-0 on a Cayden Evans run-scoring ground out in the fifth.

GCSU had a chance to score in the bottom of the fifth as Carson Phillips reached on a walk, J.D. Coleman was hit by a pitch and Caleb Miele scratched the first hit against CSU starter Trace Goforth (3-2) with a bunt single to load the bases with no one out, but Goforth escaped without giving up a run as the Bobcats stranded 14 runners on base for the game.

Warrick Wilmot doubled the Cougar lead again to 4-0 after his two-run homer to right-center field in the top of the sixth. It was his eighth homer of the season.

Columbus State added single runs in the seventh and eighth inning to push its lead to 6-0. GCSU prevented the shutout as Evan Cowan drove in his brother Mitch Cowan, who led off the ninth inning with a single, with an RBI single to left field.

Miele and Evan Cowan had two hits apiece as the Bobcats totaled six for the night.

About GCSU Athletics 
Owning the top Academic Success Rate among all public colleges and universities in Division II for four consecutive academic years, the Georgia College Department of Athletics sponsors 11 varsity athletic programs at the NCAA Division II level. GCSU Athletics has won five consecutive Presidents' Awards for Academic Excellence, and are two-time winners of the PBC Commissioner's Cup and four-time winners of 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 postseason 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 or subscribe to the GSCU Athletics e-newsletter to receive the latest news, schedule updates and to interact with GCSU Athletics. 

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