MT. PLEASANT, S.C. – Senior RHP Robert Jeroszko (Greenville, S.C.) allowed one run over seven innings and struck out four to lead #21 College of Charleston to a 12-1 victory over Ball State Wednesday night at Patriots Point. The Cougars improve to 12-2 on the season and begin Southern Conference play this weekend at Davidson.
The Cougars plate a single run in the first and second innings to take a 2-0 lead. After junior RF Marty Gantt (North Augusta, S.C.) led off the inning with a four-pitch walk and senior CF Cole Rakar (Mt. Pleasant, S.C.) singled down the right field line to put runners at the corners. Redshirt-junior 3B Matt Leeds (Boca Raton, Fla.) drove home Gantt from third with a fielder's choice to the third base side. In the second, doubles by redshirt-freshman LF Daniel Aldrich (Mt. Pleasant, S.C.) and Gantt produced another run for Charleston.
CofC pulled away in the fourth inning with a five-run effort, taking a 7-0 lead. Aldrich led off the frame with a solo shot to left, his fourth of the season. With two outs, the Cougars plated four more runs, scoring on RBI doubles by Rakar and redshirt-junior 1B Jose Rodriguez (Hialeah, Fla.), on a passed ball by Ball State C Kevin Franchetti and a bases-loaded walk by Aldrich.
Charleston took an 8-0 lead in the sixth when redshirt-junior DH Rob Kral (Randolph, N.J.) scored on a wild pitch. Ball State broke the shutout bid in the top of the seventh on a solo home run to left by pinch-hitter Billy Wellman.
The Cougars plated a pair of runs in both the seventh and eighth innings to secure the win. Leeds and redshirt-graduate student PH Ryan Daniels (Victoria, Texas) knocked back-to-back RBI doubles in the seventh, while senior C Robert Pritcher (Charleston, S.C.) roped a two-run double to left in the eighth.
Four Cougars had two hits apiece, while Leeds, Aldrich and Pritcher had two RBIs each. Jeroszko scattered five hits over the seven innings to pick up his first win of the season. Nestor Bautista took the loss for Ball State, allowing seven runs on nine hits in 3-2/3 innings.
The Cougars begin Southern Conference play this weekend as they travel to Davidson for a three-game series with the Wildcats. Friday's game is set for a 7:00 p.m. start.
