MILLEDGEVILLE, Ga. | Cayden Evans drove in four runs as Columbus State University scored eight runs in the final two innings to pick up a 13-8 Peach Belt Conference baseball victory over Georgia College & State University Friday (April 18) evening at John Kurtz Field.
The Cougars improved to 24-19 overall and to 14-9 in the Peach Belt, while the Bobcats fell to 26-19 and 17-6. The final game of the weekend series will be played at 1 p.m. Saturday (April 19).
Columbus State jumped out to a 4-0 lead after scoring two runs in the second and third innings, but the Bobcats tied the game at 4 in the fifth as scored four times in the frame, including a three-run double from
Braeden Smith.
Evan Cowan added an RBI single through the right side in the fifth.
Evans gave the Cougars a 5-4 lead in the sixth on a single to right field before GCSU scored three times in the bottom half of the inning to take its first lead of the contest at 7-5.
Keagan Baxter had an RBI double down the left field line before he scored on a passed ball.
Gabe Wuerth contributed a sacrifice fly.
Evans drove in another run for the Cougars in the eighth to pull within a run at 7-6 before Columbus State scored two unearned runs on a dropped fly ball with two outs to take an 8-7 lead.
The Bobcats tied the game at 8 in the bottom of the inning on a
J.D. Coleman run-scoring single to center field.Â
The Cougars broke the game open with five runs in the ninth off GCSU reliever
Lex Kenny (0-1). Jackson Chizek gave Columbus State the lead for good at 9-8 on an RBI single to left-center field. Evans added a two-run single to center later in the inning for insurance.
Ben Hamacher led the Bobcats, who left 13 on base, with three hits as GCSU clubbed 15 in the game. Coleman,
Matthew Mebane, and
Carson Phillips each collected two.
About GCSU AthleticsÂ
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 theÂ
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