FLORENCE, S.C. – Columbus State University opened the top of the first inning with a pair of walks, a triple, and a sacrifice fly and the sixth-ranked Cougars rode that start to a 4-0 blanking of 27th-ranked Francis Marion University, Sunday afternoon (March 11) in Peach Belt Conference baseball action.

CSU salvages the final game of the three-game series and improves to 17-6 overall and 7-5 in the PBC. FMU sees its four-game winning streak snapped and falls to 16-8 and 7-5.

FMU will play at Limestone College, Tuesday at 2:30 p.m. CSU entertains Virginia State University for a doubleheader the same day at 3 p.m.

After FMU starter Brandon White (0-2) walked the first two batters of the game, CSU first baseman Billy Howard greeted reliever Cole McKellar with a two-run triple into the right field corner. Rodney Rutherford then plated Howard with a sacrifice fly to center field.

McKellar then held the Cougars in check until second baseman David Brown laced an RBI double to right with two outs in the top of the ninth inning. McKellar allowed eight hits and two runs in nine innings of relief work, while striking out four.

CSU right-hander Anthony Arrington kept the Patriots off balance all day. He tossed seven shutout innings, allowing only three singles and fanning four. Senior righty Paul Able pitched two no-hit innings to earn his third save of 2007.

Third baseman Brad Linton, catcher Trent Bianco, and Brown all went 2-for-4 for Columbus State.

Junior shortstop Greg Phelps did have a hit for FMU to extend his hitting streak to 10 games, but center fielder Derek Kennamer had his 14-game streak stopped by Arrington.