Cougars Win 12th Straight 19-7 in Series Finale with Lynn

Columbus, Ga. -- Columbus State won its twelfth straight game at Ragsdale Field on Sunday, completing a three-game series sweep of defending national champion Lynn. The Cougars took advantage of 13 walks and two hit-batsmen to post the 19-7 win.

Mitch Rider's two-run single was the big hit in the Cougars's four-run first inning. After the Knights put up two unearned runs in the second, Jason Rogers clubbed a three-run homer to left-center to make it 7-2. The homer was the seventh of the season for the CSU first-baseman and his fourth in the last four games.

CSU then added five more runs in the third inning, taking advantage of four walks, two hits, and a hit batter to plate the five runs and go up 12-2. 

Einar Atencio smacked a two-run homer off starter Chris Snipes in the fourth to make it 12-4, and the Knights got a single run in the sixth on a Johnny Broderick single to make it 12-5. CSU picked up two more runs in the seventh on an Eric Weiss double and an error to make it 14-5.

Lynn got two more runs in the eighth on four hits off reliever Jordan Freeman. After an out and an error, the Knights got four straight singles to plate the runs. Ryan Lewis saved further damage when his sliding catch in left field was turned into a double play to end the rally. 

The Cougars slammed the door with a five-run eighth. CSU again took advantage of two hit batters and a walk, coupled with an error, to get the insurance runs. Freeman got the Knights in order in the top of the ninth to earn the three-inning save. 

Cameron Griffin and Scoop Pharr were the only Cougars with two hits in the game as CSU collected 11 hits as a team. Snipes allowed one earned run in six innings to earn the win, while Freeman allowed just one earned run in his three innings of work.

CSU returns to action next Saturday as they host Urbana (Ohio) University to begin a three-game series. Saturday's single game is at 2 p.m. with Sunday's double header set to start at 1 p.m.