COLUMBUS, GA – The Columbus State Cougars kept their PBC tournament title hopes alive with a 19-9 win over Georgia Southwestern in an elimination game on Saturday afternoon in Columbus, Ga. With the win, the Cougars move on to another elimination game on Saturday evening against Georgia College. The winner of that game will face Young Harris in the championship round on Sunday and need to beat the Mountain Lions twice to capture the crown.

The Cougars got started early with two runs in the first inning on a two-run single from Derek Wylie. GSW answered with a run in the bottom of the second on a sac fly from Hunter Foster.

CSU (41-10) broke the game open in the top of the third, scoring nine runs on eight hits. CSU sent 11 batters to the plate in the inning, starting with four straight hits. That was enough to pull GSW starter Nick McCollum (L, 6-5), but was only the beginning as CSU added another hit and and a walk. Doubles from Robert Brooks and David Meadows put a cap on the explosion, giving the Cougars an 11-1 lead.

CSU added three more runs in the fourth on four hits.

Brooks finished the game going 4-for-6 with two doubles, five RBIs and four runs scored. Colby Brabson was 3-for-4 with an RBI while Matthew McDade was 3-for-6 with two RBIs. Steven Minter added a two-run home run, the only CSU homer in the game.

GSW (27-27) was led by Hunter Foster who went 2-for-3 with two home runs and four RBIs. Miles Hartsfield also homered as did Gregory Wozniak.

Noah Windhorst (W, 7-3) got the win for the Cougars, pitching five innings and allowing five runs on eight hits with a walk and a strikeouts. The Cougars used four pitchers in the game while the Hurricanes used six.