March 24, 2007

Final Stats

Charleston, S.C. - The College of Charleston scored in six of the eight innings in which it batted on Saturday afternoon, out slugging Western Carolina for an 18-8 win at Patriots Point. Western's Jonathan Greene belted a solo home run to left center field in the top of the fourth inning to pull the Catamounts even at seven apiece, but the Cougars outscored WCU 11-to-1 over the next five frames to secure the win and earn the series victory.

The Catamounts (14-9, 0-2 SoCon) will look to prevent the series sweep as red-shirt sophomore Drew Saberhagen takes the hill on Sunday afternoon. First pitch is scheduled for 1:00 pm and can be heard live on the Catamount Sports Network locally in Western North Carolina on WWCU-FM, Power 90dot5 in Cullowhee and online at www.WWCUFM.com.

Greene led Western on Saturday with a 4-for-5 performance including the solo shot in the fourth, also adding a double. Freshman Brent Greer, who came into the game with only two RBI on the season, drove in five for the Catamounts, four coming off two doubles. The Manassas, Va., native also legged out the first triple of his collegiate career.

Junior Steven Strausbaugh continued his turnaround this weekend, posting a 1-for-2 showing with a RBI walk and three runs scored.

The College of Charleston (17-6, 2-0 SoCon) drew first blood with a three-run bottom of the first inning capitalizing on an RBI triple, double and single, respectively, to lead 3-0. Yet, Western retaliated in the top of the second, as Greer laced his first of two, two-RBI doubles to left center field scoring John Ingram, who walked, and Strausbaugh who singled to left.

However, the Cougars plated four runs in the home half of the second to surge back in front, 7-2, before the Catamounts pulled back within a run with a four-spot of their own in the top of the third. With two down, Greene ripped a single to the gap in right center field and was advanced to third after back-to-back walks to both senior transfer Kenny Smith and Ingram, who had his 12-game hitting streak snapped despite drawing four walks on the day. Strausbaugh drew a third walk to bring home the first run of the inning, with freshman Nick Liles also walking to drive in the second marker. With the bases still loaded, Greer came through with his second, two-run double to left field to complete the four-run frame and a 7-6 count.

After rolling up a 1-2-3 inning in the bottom of the third, Greene blasted a 1-0 pitch over the fence in left center to tie the game at seven. The Cougars answered, however, with a two-run bottom of the fourth to take the lead for good, 8-6, with Western pushing across its seventh run in the fifth.

All told, seven of Western's eight runs scored in the game were tallied after two were out in the inning, with the eighth tallied on a ground out that resulted in the second out.

The Catamounts used six pitchers on the afternoon with starter Tyler Johnson lasting an inning and two thirds, surrendering seven earned runs on seven hits with three walks and a pair of strikeouts. Sophomore Bryan Corbett pitched the longest for WCU, pitching two and a third of three-hit, two-run ball also walking and fanning a pair in suffering his first defeat of the season. Also seeing action on Saturday were Ryne Nelson, Corey Martin, Andrew Larrimore and Daniel Ottone, with the latter tossing one inning of hitless and scoreless.

College of Charleston starter Jeff Beliveau was chased after two and two thirds innings, allowing six earned runs on just three hits with four walks and a pair of strikeouts. After an inning and a third of relief work, by Curtis Dowling, mid-week starter Jake Goldberg settled things for the Cougars, tossing 4.1 innings, scattering six hits and holding the Cats to one earned run. He was in line for the save after pitching three-or-more innings of effective relief, but was chased in the top of the ninth after Western loaded the bases. Yet, reliever Mike Lynn shut the door on WCU with a pair of strikeouts to end the game.

The two teams will wrap up the three-game series on Sunday afternoon with the first pitch at 1:00 pm.