Baseball Hosts UNC Asheville This Weekend
2/26/2010 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
Games 5-7
CofC (4-0, 0-0 SoCon) vs. UNC Asheville (1-2, 0-0 Big South)
Friday, February 26 • 5:00 p.m.
RHP Josh Salay (0-0, 1.80 ERA) vs. RHP Ryan Dull (0-0, 11.25 ERA)
Saturday, February 27 • 1:00 p.m.
RHP David Peterson (1-0, 0.00 ERA) vs. LHP Drew Spear (0-0, 6.75 ERA)
Sunday, February 28 • 1:00 p.m.
RHP Christian Powell (1-0, 4.50 ERA) vs. TBA
College of Charleston followed up a season-opening series sweep of visiting Radford last weekend with a 15-7 road victory over Jacksonville Tuesday night. The Cougars hammered a season-high 14 hits in the win, led by a two-home run night by junior Jose Rodriguez (Hialeah, Fla./Broward College) and three hits and four RBIs by junior Jesse Mesa (Miramar, Fla./Central Florida JC). Junior Cole Rakar (Mount Pleasant, S.C./Wando) leads Charleston with a .571 batting average and a .684 OB%. Rodriguez leads the team in home runs (3), RBIs (10) and slugging% (1.250) and is tied for the team lead in hits with Mesa (9).
• Scouting the Bulldogs
UNC Asheville enters tonight's contest with a 1-2 record, winning their season opener 15-11 over host Campbell and dropping a doubleheader to the Fighting Camels, 5-4 and 11-2. Freshman Robbie McIntosh highlights the Bulldogs lineup with a .455 average and two RBIs. Junior Danny Baatz leads the team with four RBIs. UNC Asheville was picked to finish 10th in the Big South 2010 Preseason Coaches Poll after a 2009 campaign that finished 9-42.
• All-Time vs. UNC Asheville
Charleston leads the all-time series, 9-2. The two teams met last season in Asheville, with the Cougars winning 6-1 in the opener and 9-3 in the third game. UNC Asheville picked up a 8-7 victory in the middle game of the series.
• Start It Up
FRIDAY - Junior Josh Salay (Rock Hill, S.C./Spartanburg Methodist College) opens things up after a solid opening day effort against Radford. Salay tossed five innings, allowing four hits and one run with seven strikeouts.
SATURDAY - Sophomore David Peterson (Walnut Creek, Calif./Los Comas) takes the mound again on Saturday, looking to continue his success from last weekend. The right-hander picked up the win against Radford, striking out five and allowing three hits in four innings against the Highlanders.
SUNDAY - Freshman Christian Powell (Greenwood, S.C./Greenwood) wraps things up this weekend for the Cougars with his second collegiate start. Powell enjoyed tremendous offensive support his last time out as Charleston belted 13 hits in a 11-3 win over Radford. Powell kept his side of the game in check, fanning seven batters and allowing two runs in four innings for the win.
• 2009 in Review
The Cougars went 35-22 overall and 17-13 in the SoCon last year, which put them fifth in the league standings. The comforts of home staked the Cougars a 22-5 record at Patriots Point Field in 2009. Last season, the Cougars were fourth in the country in home runs (110) and scoring (9.7 runs/game), and ninth in team batting average (.345).
• All-SoCon Cougars
College of Charleston senior Joey Bergman (Jacksonville, Fla./Bishop Kenny) was selected as the Southern Conference Player of the Year by the league's baseball coaches, the SoCon announced Thursday. Two other Cougars were also named to preseason all-conference teams.
Bergman led the country in both runs (88) and on base percentage (.551) in 2009 while finishing second nationally with a .452 batting average. Splitting time between shortstop and third base, Bergman also hit 15 home runs and had 57 RBIs while recording two or more hits in 35 of the 56 games. The senior is one of three returning starters to the Charleston lineup.
Senior Ryan Daniels (Victoria, Texas/Blinn College) joins Bergman on the Preseason All-Conference First Team at the designated hitter spot. Daniels hit .363 with 10 home runs and 64 RBIs last year in 50 games. His .457 on base percentage was third on the team. Junior Cole Rakar (Mount Pleasant, S.C./Wando) earned a second-team preseason all-conference spot in the outfield. He started 56 contests for the Cougars, hitting .317 with 12 home runs and 46 RBIs. He tied the school record of three home runs in a single game on Mar. 28 against Furman.
College of Charleston baseball has been picked to finish third in the Southern Conference Preseason Poll by the media. The Cougars were tabbed to finish fourth in the coaches poll.
• 2010 Cougar Radio Schedule
Fans of Cougar baseball will have 14 opportunities to listen to the action on ESPN Radio 910-AM in Charleston or through the school's website at www.cofcsports.com.
Nine home games will be broadcast over the airwaves, up from just one last season. The final two games of the Cougars' fourth home series of the season, against Samford on Mar. 13-14 will be available on the radio. Both games start at 1 p.m.
2010 Radio Broadcast Schedule
Mar. 13 vs. Samford 1 p.m.
Mar. 14 vs. Samford 1 p.m.
Mar. 27 at Western Carolina 3 p.m.
Mar. 28 at Western Carolina 2 p.m.
Apr. 3 vs. Georgia Southern 1 p.m.
Apr. 4 vs. Georgia Southern 1 p.m.
Apr. 7 at South Carolina 7 p.m.
Apr. 17 vs. Wofford 1 p.m.
Apr. 18 vs. Wofford 1 p.m.
May 8 vs. The Citadel 6 p.m.
May 9 vs. The Citadel 1 p.m.
May 15 at Appalachian State 3 p.m.
May 16 at Appalachian State 1 p.m.
• Bergman Earns Second Preseason All-America Nod
Senior shortstop Joey Bergman (Jacksonville, Fla./Bishop Kenny) was selected to the 2010 Louisville Preseason All-America Baseball Team by Collegiate Baseball.
Bergman, who was named to the second team, received All-American status for the second time this preseason. He was also named to the National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association of America Pro-Line Athletic Preseason All-America third team.
Elected the 2009 Southern Conference Player of the Year, Bergman had a .452 average while drilling 15 home runs last season. He became the 10th player in Southern Conference history to record 100 hits in a single season. He garnered third-team All-America status by Collegiate Baseball and the American Baseball Coaches Association.
Season Long Promotions:
Two-for-Tuesdays - Two tickets for $5 to all Tuesday night games
Faculty/Staff Fridays - free entry to College of Charleston faculty and staff with their staff ID card
Family Fun Saturdays - free entry for two children with an adult ticket purchase
Military Appreciation Sundays - up to four free tickets with a military ID at all Sunday home games.
