March 25, 2007

Final Stats

Charleston, S.C. - College of Charleston right fielder Gabe Marchant singled through the right side to score Michael Kohn, who drew a leadoff walk to open the ninth inning as the Cougars completed a three-run come-back, sweeping the Southern Conference opening series over Western Carolina with an 8-7 win on Sunday afternoon at Patriots Point. CofC scored three runs over the final three frames to erase WCU's 7-5 lead to win for the second-time on the weekend in the final inning.

Juniors Jonathan Greene and Blake Murphy led WCU on the afternoon, posting 3-for-5 and 2-for-4 outings, respectively, with Murphy driving in three Greene posting two RBI. A third junior, Barrett Shaft, and senior Kenny Smith were the only other Catamounts to post multiple hit games, each recording two in the loss.

Much like Friday night's one-run loss, Western (14-10, 0-3 SoCon) took an early lead in the top of the first as junior Blake Murphy ripped a solo home run to left center field to put the Catamounts on top, 1-0. However, the lead was short-lived as the Cougars answered in the bottom of the frame, manufacturing a run to tie the score at one apiece after one.

WCU pulled back in front in the third on what was ruled an RBI double to right field by Greene. On the play, the bloop hit down the line fell between three Cougar players including the eventual hero, Marchant. Shaft, who laced a one-out single to second base, scored on the play from first to give the Catamounts a 2-1 lead.

Yet again, Charleston responded in the home half of the inning as Barrett Kleinknecht turned a lead-off bunt single into a run on a two-out RBI single to left by Chris Campbell to knot things at two.

With two gone and the bases loaded in the top of the fourth, Murphy lined a single up the middle to score two, again thrusting the Catamounts in front, 4-2, scoring designated hitter Tyler Kirkpatrick and freshman third baseman, Nick Liles. Greene's second RBI base hit, a single to left center, plated the third run of the inning and gave Western a 5-2 lead.

The Cougars would cut the lead back to one in the bottom of the fourth, capitalizing on two hits and a walk to load the bases before back-to-back sacrifice flies scored two runs making it 5-4 after four innings, then tying it with an RBI double by Kohn in the fifth.

Taking advantage of shaky bull pen work for the Cougars, Western was able to reclaim the lead with two runs in the visitor half of the sixth inning. Murphy scored the first run, drawing a walk and moving to second on a single to left by Greene. Then, back-to-back wild pitches by Cougar reliever Brian Schlitter allowed Murphy to move to third and eventually score. A third wild pitch enabled Greene to move from second to third, John Ingram reaching on a fielding error at second, scoring WCU's final run for a 7-5 lead after five and a half.

Charleston began its three-run rally, though, with two runs in the home half of the seventh. Center fielder Stuart Haywood opened the frame by lacing a sharply hit ball to short where, as it tailed away at the end of its flight, freshman Brent Greer could not come up with the play putting one on with the infield error. The miscue at short chased Catamount starter, Drew Saberhagen, for reliever Greg Holland. CofC used a single and a fielder's choice - on a play where WCU nearly turned over a double-play on the middle infield - to put runners at the corners with two out. A second single and a throwing error by Holland allowed the runs to score for Charleston and tie the game at seven, setting up Marchant's heroics in the ninth.

Saberhagen went six innings on Sunday allowing six runs, only five of which were earned, on eight hits with a pair of walks and one strikeout. He did not factor in the decision, though, as Holland surrendered the tying and game-winning run in 2.2 innings of work with two walks and one strikeout.

Charleston reliever, Russ Tomlinson, earned the victory in three innings of work, holding Western both hitless and scoreless despite passing out three walks and posting three strikeouts.

Western returns to action this Wednesday night, March 28, as it travels to Clemson in non-conference action before hosting The Citadel in league play next Friday through Sunday in Cullowhee.