College of Charleston
Samford
Six-Run Third Lifts Cougars over Samford
3/13/2010 9:00:00 PM | Baseball
MT. PLEASANT, S.C. - A six-run third inning gave College of Charleston an 8-3 lead and propelled the Cougars to a 14-4 victory over Samford in Southern Conference baseball action at Patriots Point Saturday afternoon. CofC improves to 12-4 overall and 1-1 in SoCon action, while Samford falls to 8-6, 1-1.
Samford plated an early run with a sacrifice fly by Bo Smith in the first inning to take a 1-0 lead. The Cougars responded two runs in the second to take a 2-1 lead as senior 1B Justin Brewer (Greer, S.C./Spartanburg Methodist College) roped a two-run single down the left field line. The Bulldogs regained the lead with a pair of runs in the third, scoring on a throwing error by sophomore 3B Matt Leeds (Boca Raton, Fla./American Heritage) and on a bunt single to third by Smith.
The Cougars exploded for six runs in the third to pull ahead by an 8-3 margin. Junior C Kolby Epley (Yadkinville, N.C./Forbush) hit a RBI single through the right side to score Leeds and junior SS Baker Knox (San Mateo, Fla./Daytona Beach CC) brought home two more runs with a RBI double to left center. Senior RF Greg Blake (Westerly, R.I./Lake City CC) lined a triple down the right-field line to tally two more for the Cougars.
Smith notched another run for the Bulldogs with a solo home run to right in the top of the fifth, but Charleston answered with a run of their own on a RBI double to right center by Brewer to hold a 9-4 lead after five innings.
CofC plated two more runs in the sixth on bases-loaded walks by junior Jose Rodriguez (Hialeah, Fla./Broward College) and sophomore OF Thomas Brittle (Cross, S.C./Berkeley). The Cougars secured the win with three more in the eighth, scoring on a RBI triple by Rodriguez and a two-run home run to right center by Brittle.
Brewer led the Cougars at the plate on a 2-for-3 outing with four RBI. Rodriguez and Knox each added two hits and two RBI, while Smith led Samford with two hits and three RBI.
Freshman RHP Christian Powell (Greenwood, S.C./Greenwood) picked up his third win of the season, tossing 5.2 innings and allowing four runs on six hits with four strikeouts. Samford's Kyle Putkonen took the loss for the Bulldogs, giving up nine runs on nine hits in 4.1 innings.
Charleston and Samford meet tomorrow for game two of the series. First pitch on Saturday is set for 1 p.m. The radio broadcast of Sunday's game on WTMZ 910 AM has been cancelled.
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