COLUMBUS, Ga. | Young Harris College starting pitcher Michael Livingston twirled a complete-game shutout in game two as the Mountain Lions and Columbus State University split a Peach Belt Conference baseball doubleheader Saturday (March 11) afternoon at Burger King Stadium at Ragsdale Field.

Livingston (4-1) scattered 11 hits and struck out six as Young Harris won the nightcap 2-0 after the Cougars held on for a 7-4 decision in the opener. 

With the split, the Mountain Lions improved to 6-13 overall and to 1-5 in the Peach Belt, while Columbus State fell to 12-8 and 7-2. Young Harris returns to action Tuesday (March 14) at Zell B. Miller Field when they host Southern Wesleyan University in a 4 p.m. contest.

The Cougars had chances to score in the first and fifth innings of the nightcap, but had runners thrown out at the plate to end each opportunity. Turner Vincent was thrown out in the first as he was trying to score on a throwing error, but Livingston was backing up the play at third and was able to get the ball to catcher Cory Ewald, who applied the tag.  Justin Evans was caught trying to steal home in the fifth and got caught in a run down.

The Mountain Lions, who collected 10 hits, broke up the scoreless game with one out in the eighth inning. Zach Odom took a 1-0 offering from Columbus State starter Like Porter (1-2) and deposited it over the left-center field wall to give YHC a 1-0 lead. It was Odom's first long ball of 2017. Nick Sexton chased Porter from the game as he followed with a double to right-center field. Zach Wall greeted CSU reliever Perez Knowles with a RBI single to right center on the first pitch he saw.

Columbus State got runners on base in the eighth and ninth innings, but couldn't get any past first.

Odom and Wall led the Mountain Lions with two hits apiece. Sexton and Miller also collected doubles for Young Harris.

Tyler Fichter, who had a double, Mason McClelland, Lake Hart, and Jamal Howard each had two its for the Cougars.

Columbus State opened up a 7-0 lead after four innings of the opener off YHC starter McLain Harris (0-5). The Cougars scored three runs in the first as Vincent drove in the first run with a single to right. Hart drove in a run on a fielder's choice and Grant Berry added a sacrifice fly. Columbus added two runs in the third on a two-run homer to right field by Hart. It was Hart's first of the season. The Cougars tallied two more runs in the fourth as they took advantange of a YHC error.

Young Harris, which outhit the Cougars 11-8, finally broke through against Columbus State starter Brandon Koehler (3-1) in the eighth inning. Zach Beggs walked and came around to scored on Rudy Gaona's two-out double down the right field line. The Mountain Lions added three more runs in the ninth. Luke Miller and Odom had RBI singles and the Mountain Lions added another on a passed ball.

Fichter led the Cougars with three hits and two stolen bases. 

Sexton led the Mountain Lion attack with three hits, while Tyler Washington had two. In addition to Gaona, Jackson Jones and Washington had doubles for Young Harris.