COLUMBUS, Ga. -- Columbus State right-hander Brent Benefield fanned 11 hitters in eight innings and Drew Candlin drove in four runs with a pair of doubles to lead CSU to a 9-2 victory over Anderson University in its home opener Saturday. Columbus State moves to 3-2 on the season, while Anderson falls to 3-4. The Cougars gave Benefield all the runs he would need in the first inning. Jonnie Geiger led off with a double, and moved to third on a Kurt McKee single. After Candlin's first double of the day plated both runners, Billy Howard blooped a shallow fly to left that was mishandled for an error, allowing Candlin to score and make it 3-0. Brad Linton then doubled down the left field line to put runners in scoring position and David Brown's groundout scored Howard to make it 4-0. After Anderson got a run in the third on a Josh Grubbs groundout to score Blair Carson, CSU struck for two more runs in the fourth. Candlin again came through, this time ripping a double down the left field line to score Geiger and McKee again for a 6-1 lead. The Cougars added single runs in the fifth, sixth, and seventh on an RBI hit by Brian Gordon, a sacrifice fly by Linton, and a Geiger single. Anderson got its other run in the top of the seventh, taking advantage of a CSU error. Carson singled in Clint Neville for the Trojans' second run. Freshman Bryan Kilgore came on in the ninth to strike out three hitters, mixed in with a hit and a walk, to seal the game for CSU. Benefield, who had a no-decision in his first start last week, picked up the win for CSU. Starter Desmond Robson (1-1) took the loss for Anderson, allowing eight hits and five earned runs in five innings of work. Aaron Griffith pitched the final three innings for the Trojans, fanning two and allowing two earned runs. Gieger, McKee, Candlin, and Brad Shea each had two hits for CSU in the game to lead the 11-hit attack. Cody Nye and Carson collected four of Anderson's five safeties on the day. The two teams will begin the Sunday twinbill at 1 p.m. at Ragsdale Field.