COLUMBUS, Ga. – The Spring Hill College (SHC) Badgers baseball team suffered 11-2 and 8-3 losses to the 24
th-ranked Columbus State University (CSU) Cougars in a non-conference doubleheader at Burger King Stadium at Ragsdale Field on Wednesday afternoon.
In the opening game, SHC jumped out to an early advantage off CSU freshman starter Timbo Trawick with a leadoff single from center fielder
Joseph Guidry followed by a run-scoring double to right field by designated hitter
Mason Bonnaffons. First baseman
Walker Imwalle and shortstop
Daniel Rodriguez then made life worse for the Cougars (16-8) with back-to-back doubles to right, making it 2-0 with only one out recorded in the game.
CSU would answer right back in the bottom of the frame with a two-run homer to left-center by right fielder Colby Brabston off Badger sophomore starter
Jackson Short. The Cougars took the lead with an RBI-single up the middle by 2
nd baseman Mason Davis in the 2
nd inning off
Taylor Gibson (1-1).
Two more runs scratched across the plate in the 4
th inning for the Cougars and the lead grew to 8-2 in the 5
th stanza as catcher Robert Brooks and 1
st baseman Steven Minter connected for two-run and solo back-to-back home runs off senior
Blair Lacy. Left fielder Dane Bullock ended Lacy's day with a 2-run line drive homer over the left field wall later in the 5
th inning.
Noah Windhorst (2-1) picked up the win in relief of Trawick in 4.0 innings of work with four hits, a walk, and no strikeouts. Seven Badger pitchers allowed 12 hits with five walks and one strikeout.
The 1
st inning of Game 2 was not any easier on Spring Hill as CSU used two hits, a sacrifice fly, and a Badger error to put three runs across the plate against sophomore leftie
Colin Millar.
SHC answered back with a two-run single to right-center by catcher
Kolby McWilliams followed by an RBI-infield single by 2
nd baseman
Frankie Timphony in the 4
th inning. CSU put the go-ahead run on the board in the 5
th off a hit-by-pitch with the bases loaded and then Minter cranked out a Grand Slam to make it an 8-3 score as sophomore
Will Pratt (0-1) suffered the loss in his varsity collegiate debut.
Six more Badgers pitchers allowed eight hits with four walks and six strikeouts while the SHC offense collected 10 hits and five strikeouts off four Cougar hurlers.
The Badgers (11-12) will host the Miles College Golden Bears (8-9) on Saturday at 3 p.m. at historic Stan Galle Field.
