Game 55 - Thursday, May 20, 2010 • 6:00 p.m.
College of Charleston (40-14, 22-8 Southern)
RHP #29 Matt Pegler (2-1, 7.36 ERA)
at
UNC Wilmington (29-24, 13-11 Colonial)
LHP #18 Cameron Roth (7-4, 3.27 ERA)
Senior 1B Greg Blake hit a three-run double to key a five-run seventh inning and junior RHP Casey Lucchese tossed 2-2/3 shutout innings in relief to earn the victory as College of Charleston knocked off #4 Coastal Carolina 10-4 in non-conference action at BB&T Coastal Field Tuesday night. The Cougars reach the 40-win plateau for the first time since the 2006 season at 40-14, while the Chanticleers fall to 45-7. Junior CF Cole Rakar leads the team with a .379 average, 86 hits, 25 doubles, 67 runs and 18 stolen bases. Sophomore 3B Matt Leeds tops the team in home runs with 19, the RBI chart with 77 and leads the team with a .731 slugging percentage.
- ALL-TIME VS. UNC WILMINGTON
The two programs are tied in the all-time series at one win apiece. Last season, the two teams played a home-and-home series as well, with both squads winning at their home field. The Seahawks won in Wilmington 5-3 on February 24, while Charleston scored a 12-6 victory at Patriots Point on April 15.
WEDNESDAY - Freshman RHP Matt Pegler makes his sixth start this season. In his last start against #21 North Carolina on May 12, Pegler allowed three runs on five hits in 2-2/3 innings to suffer his first loss of the season. He walked two and struck out one.
Here is a look at some of the Cougars' key players in the midweek game against #4 Coastal Carolina and last weekend's series with Appalachian State:
SS Joey Bergman - COASTAL: went 3-for-5 with two doubles and a RBI... APP STATE: batted a team-high .583 (7-12) on the weekend... scored a team-high eight runs and knocked a double, a home run for two RBI... returned to action at the plate against Charleston Southern on March 24 after hamate bone surgery put him on the shelf earlier this season.
1B Greg Blake - COASTAL: only hit, a three-run double in the 7th, cracked the game open for the Cougars... APP STATE: had three hits for a .231 average... added three RBI.
RF Thomas Brittle - COASTAL: 0-for-1 as a defensive replacement/pinch hitter... APP STATE: batted .273 with a double and two RBI... added two stolen bases.
DH Kolby Epley - COASTAL: went 1-for-3 with two RBI... APP STATE: went 0-for-2.
SS Jamie Holler - COASTAL: 2-for-4 with two doubles and two runs scored... APP STATE: batted .250 with three hits and three RBI.
C Rob Kral - COASTAL: walked three times and scored a run... batted 0-for-2... APP STATE: batted .400 with three doubles and two RBI... walked team-high four times.
3B Matt Leeds - COASTAL: 1-for-2 with a sac fly in the 8th... APP STATE: went 4-for-12 with six RBI... had three walks and was the only Cougar starter not to strike out all weekend.
CF Cole Rakar - COASTAL: walked twice and scored a run... went 0-for-3... APP STATE: batted .533 with a team-high 15 total bases... on Saturday, became the first Cougar to hit for the cycle since Ben Lasater completed the feat in a 21-9 win at Wofford on April 1, 2007... team-high eight hits on the weekend.
LF Jose Rodriguez - COASTAL: went 1-for-2 with two RBI and two runs scored... APP STATE: had seven hits for a .538 average... team-high two home runs and seven RBI.
DH Dre Watts - COASTAL: Did not play... APP STATE: batted .455 with five hits, including a home run... added five RBI and two walks.
- 2010 COUGARS BASEBALL RADIO SCHEDULE
The College of Charleston announced its updated radio broadcast schedule which includes five road games and eight home games, as well as the Southern Conference Tournament. Games are scheduled to air on ESPN Radio 910-AM in Charleston and can also be heard live on the internet at www.CofCSports.com. Ted Byrne will be handling the broadcasting duties for the baseball season.
Remaining 2010 Cougar Baseball Radio Broadcast Schedule
May 26-30 at the SoCon Tournament
- RAKAR HITS FOR THE ALL-ELUSIVE CYCLE
Junior CF Cole Rakar hit for the cycle, going 4-for-5 with four RBI as College of Charleston rolled to a 15-5 victory over host Appalachian State May 15 at Smith Stadium. Rakar became the first Cougar to hit for the cycle since Ben Lasater completed the feat in a 21-9 win at Wofford on April 1, 2007. The junior accomplished the task in order, a bunt single in the first, a double to left center in the second, a RBI triple to right center in the third and a three-run homer in the seventh. He also walked in the fifth inning.
- LEEDS HAS RECORD-SETTING PERFORMANCE AGAINST UPSTATE
Sophomore Matt Leeds went 5-for-5 with three doubles and two home runs to propel College of Charleston to a 20-3 victory over USC Upstate May 11 at Patriots Point. The 14 total bases for Leeds sets a program single-game mark, while his three doubles equals the Cougars' single-game record.
Leeds also became the first Cougar to hit home runs from both sides of the plate in a single game since Shawn Lopez achieved the feat on March 27, 1994. His second-inning blast came right-handed off Upstate starter Austin Moyer, while his two-run shot in the fourth was left-handed off reliever Chris Knauff. Leeds broke the single-game total bases mark of 13 set by Lee Curtis against Virginia Military Institute on May 12, 2002 and tied the doubles record held by eight Cougars, most recently Austin Morgan on May 2, 2009.
- LEEDS NAMED ACADEMIC ALL-DISTRICT
Sophomore Matt Leeds was named to the ESPN The Magazine Academic All-District III First Team. The honor is voted on by members of the College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA) whose schools are in the region. By being named to the first team, Leeds advances to the national Academic All-America ballot. In order to be nominated for this honor, a student-athlete must be a starter or significant reserve with legitimate athletic credentials and at least a 3.30 grade point average in both undergraduate and graduate work. The student-athlete must have reached sophomore athletic and academic standing at their institution and completed at least one full academic year at the same school. Leeds, an economics major with a 3.89 GPA, leads the Cougars with 19 home runs and 70 RBI.
- DENNY'S GRAND SLAM HAS NOTHING ON US
Sophomore Matt Leeds and redshirt-sophomore Rob Kral both hammered grand slams in a 12-run second inning and freshman Dre Watts added a third grand slam in the eighth as College of Charleston cruised to a 28-6 victory over host Charleston Southern March 24 at CSU Ballpark. The 12 runs in the inning set a program record for most runs in the second inning and the three grand slams in a game tied a Cougar baseball mark set by the team in 2008, as Jeremie Tice, Gabe Marchant and current junior Cole Rakar all hit grand slams in a 31-3 win over Davidson on March 21. The second-inning output was one off the all-time record of 13, set in the fifth inning of a 27-9 win over Furman on March 29, 2009.
- KRAL EARNS SECOND SOCON PLAYER OF THE WEEK HONOR
Redshirt-sophomore C Rob Kral was named the Southern Conference Baseball Player of the Week for the period from Apr. 26 - May 2. It marks the second time this season he has received the honor. Kral hit three home runs and six RBI to lead the Cougars to a three-game sweep over Davidson this past weekend. He went 7-for-12 (.583) and posted a .643 on-base percentage while adding five runs for CofC. After recording a double and scoring twice in the series opener, Kral hit a home run and RBI on Saturday. He belted a pair of home runs in the series finale, giving him 13 on the season.
- LEEDS GARNERS SOCON PLAYER OF THE WEEK AWARD
Sophomore 3B Matt Leeds was named the Southern Conference Player of the Week for all games from April 12-18 after leading College of Charleston to a 3-1 week, including a weekend sweep of visiting Wofford at Patriots Point. Leeds batted .556 (10-18) on the week with three home runs, three doubles, a triple and 13 RBI.
Leeds had at least two hits in all four games last week and reached the five-RBI plateau in two games. In the midweek clash at USC Upstate, his three-run blast to straightaway center cleared the backdrop at approximately 440 feet, as he went 3-for-4 adding a single and a triple. During the week, Leeds drove in 13 of the Cougars 38 runs (34.2%) for the week and only struck out twice in 18 at-bats.
- COUGARS SWEEP SOCON WEEKLY AWARDS
College of Charleston redshirt-sophomore DH Rob Kral was named the Southern Conference Baseball Player of the Week, while teammate senior RHP Kevin Decker was selected as the league's Pitcher of the Week on March 22.
Kral had a career day at the plate on March 19, hitting three home runs with five RBIs in the Cougars' series-opening win at UNC Greensboro. Kral's three home run output ties the program's record for home runs in a game with four others, including current head coach Monte Lee (1999). The redshirt-sophomore had at least one RBI in all five games for the Cougars that week as CofC went 5-0. He had four multi-hit games, 10 RBIs and slugged 1.000.
Decker went 2-0 in two appearances that week, coming out of the bullpen to pick up the victory versus No. 8 Coastal Carolina and then making his first start at UNC Greensboro. The senior right-hander allowed only three hits in nine total innings, highlighted by two frames of hitless, shutout ball against the nationally-ranked Chants on March 16. He followed that by allowing two runs on three hits in seven innings of work against the Spartans March 20. Decker held opponents to a .103 batting average, giving up two singles and a double over 34 batters.
College of Charleston senior Joey Bergman was selected as the Southern Conference Player of the Year by the league's baseball coaches, the SoCon announced Thursday. Senior Ryan Daniels joins Bergman on the Preseason All-Conference First Team at the designated hitter spot. Junior Cole Rakar earned a second-team preseason all-conference spot in the outfield. 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.
- BERGMAN EARNS SECOND PRESEASON ALL-AMERICA NOD
Senior shortstop Joey Bergman was selected to the 2010 Louisville Preseason All-America Baseball Team by Collegiate Baseball. Bergman, who was named to the second team, received All-America 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 ABCA.
The Cougars complete the regular season at Patriots Point with a Senior Night contest on Saturday, May 20. The game is set for a 6:00 p.m. first pitch.
####
