MILLEDGEVILLE, Ga. | Evan Cowan and Cole Huddleston each collected three hits apiece as Georgia College & State University defeated Columbus State University 6-3 in the Peach Belt Conference baseball series finale Sunday (March 15) afternoon at John Kurtz Field.

GCSU improved 10-15 overall and to 7-8 in the Peach Belt, while the Cougars fell to 13-9 and 8-4. The Bobcats face the University of Mount Olive Tuesday (March 17) at 4 p.m. at the Lexington County Baseball Stadium in Lexington, South Carolina.

The game was delayed at the outset for over 90 minutes due to a passing rain storm and saw Columbus State jump out to a 2-0 lead in the third, before Luke Boone cut the deficit in half for the Bobcats as his sacrifice fly in the bottom half of the inning made the score 2-1.

GCSU took the lead for good with a three-run fifth inning.  Cowan led off with a single and Carson Vick was hit by a pitch to start the rally. The Bobcats tied the game at 2 on Tanner Patterson's sacrifice fly to right field to score Cowan. Vick later came around to score on a wild pitch to give GCSU a 3-2 lead before  Huddleston doubled home  Boone, who had reached base after being hit by a pitch. 

Columbus State added a run in the sixth to cut the margin to 4-3, but Griffin Davis wiggled out of a bases-loaded jam by retiring the final two batters of the frame. The Cougars stranded 14 runners on base for the game.

GCSU added two insurance runs in the seventh to push the lead to 6-3. The first run came on a throwing error and the other was a result of Huddleston's RBI single through the right side.

Davis earned his fifth save of the season as he scattered a hit and six walks over the final 3.2 scoreless innings of relief. Harding Dennis (1-0) earned his first win with one inning of relief.
 

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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