March 20, 2005

Final Stats

Mt. Pleasant, S.C. - The 18th-ranked College of Charleston Cougars pounded out 18 hits, including five home runs, to defeat Western Carolina, 17-5, and complete a three-game sweep over the Catamounts Sunday afternoon at Patriots Point Field.

The Cougars (16-4 overall, 6-0 Southern Conference) jumped out to an early 5-0 lead in the bottom of the first, sending nine men to the plate and hitting three home runs. Phillip Coker drew a leadoff walk and, after a sacrifice bunt, scored on a Byron Barber single through the right side. D.J. Wabick followed with a two-run home run to straight away center field. On the next pitch, Chris Campbell made it back-to-back home runs with a blast to left-center field. Jess Easterling made it three straight with a homer to left-center as well.

The Cats (11-7, 3-3 SoCon) trimmed their deficit with two runs on five hits in the top of the fourth, making the score 5-2. Steven Strausbaugh started the frame with an infield single and moved to third on a Jared Greenwood's second double of the game. Trey McDaniel plated Strausbaugh with a sacrifice fly and Greenwood scored on a Nate Hall single.

Charleston got those two runs back and added one more in the bottom half for an 8-2 advantage. After a walk and a hit batsman, Barber delivered a one-out, two-run double. After a wild pitch, Barber would score on an RBI ground out by Campbell. Brian Hastings pushed CofC's lead to seven (9-2) with a solo home run over the left field wall in the fifth. After Coker reached on a fielder's choice, he scored on a two-out triple by Brett Garnder for an eight-run Cougar lead.

The Cougars added three runs to their tally in the bottom of the sixth. With two outs, Easterling had a single and scored on Anderson's home run to left. Hastings followed with a double and scored on an Oliver Marmol triple. In the seventh, Charleston's Campbell added a three-run double and Josh Clendenin had a sacrifice fly.

In the top of the ninth and the bases loaded, Chris Ahearn grounded out to plate McDaniel. Jason Haynes followed with a two-out double to provide the final score of 17-5.

CofC starting pitcher Zach Piccola earned the win, improving to 2-1 on the season. He pitched 7.0 innings, allowing seven hits, two runs and two walks with three strikes. Barber led the way offensively with three hits and three RBI, while six other Cougars added two hits each.

Western's Strausbaugh, Greenwood and Hall each had two hits, while Haynes drove in two. Starting pitcher Bryan Tupper suffered the loss, allowing five hits and five runs in one inning's work.

The Catamounts will return home to host UNC Asheville on Wednesday (Mar. 23). First pitch is set for 7:00 pm at Childress Field/Hennon Stadium for the Cats' first home night game of the season.