YOUNG HARRIS, Ga. | Tyler Washington hit two home runs and drove in three runs, but it wasn't enough as No. 7 Columbus State University defeated Young Harris College 11-4 in a Peach Belt Conference baseball game Sunday (April 22) afternoon to spoil Senior Day at Zell B. Miller Field.

The Cougars improved to 35-8 overall and to 17-6 in the PBC, while the Mountain Lions fell to 25-22 and 15-15. Young Harris finished its PBC schedule with a program best 15 wins and earned a berth to next month's PBC Tournament in St. Augustine, Florida, for the first time in program history. The Mountain Lions will wrap up their regular season with a 4 p.m. doubleheader Tuesday (April 24) against Tusculum College in Greeneville, Tennessee.

The Mountain Lions recognized its 11 seniors - Jared Campbell, Nick Crawford, Steven Eichhorn, Cory Ewald, Rudy Gaona, Hudson Graham, Zach Hopkins, Michael Livingston, Blake Metivier, Royce Woolfolk and Adrik Yacelga - prior to the game.

Young Harris jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the bottom of the first. Logan Worley led off the inning with a single to left field before Washington smashed the first pitch he saw over the right-center field fence. 

CSU scored four runs in the second and two more in the fourth to open up a 6-2 lead. The big hit in the second inning was a bases-clearing double by Gunar Drinnen just inside the left field line. Chase Brown added a two-run homer in the fourth.

The Mountain Lions climbed back within two runs (6-4) as they scored twice in the fifth inning. Washington, who has hit four home runs this week, led off the inning with a long ball to center field. It was the fifth homer of the season for Washington. The other run came when Gaona singled to right field. moved to second on a walk to Ewald and later scored on back-to-back wild pitches.. 

The Cougars added a run in the eighth and four more in the ninth.

Washington and Jackson Jones each collected two hits for the Mountain Lions. Jones also hit his 14th double of the season.

Metivier (1-2) took the loss for the Mountain Lions as he allowed six runs and struck out four in 4.2 innings. Graham also recorded six strikeouts in four innings of relief for Young Harris.Payton Phillips (2-1) earned the win in relief for the Cougars as he limited the Mountain Lions to two hits and struck out nine in five innings.