College of Charleston
Presbyterian
Baseball Closes Home Slate with 9-5 Win Over Presbyterian
5/18/2011 1:50:00 AM | Baseball
MT. PLEASANT, S.C. – Sophomore LHP Jake Zokan (Columbia, S.C.) collected a career-high seven strikeouts and three Cougars knocked home runs as the College of Charleston closed out the home portion of the 2011 season with a 9-5 victory over Presbyterian College Tuesday evening. The Cougars improve to 35-18 on the season, the eighth straight season with at least 35 wins.
Charleston led jumped out to a 1-0 lead in the second on freshman DH Brandon Murray's (Nassau, Bahamas) first career home run, a solo shot to right off Presbyterian starter Bud Jeter. The Cougars increased their lead to 2-0 in the fifth as redshirt-junior 3B Matt Leeds (Boca Raton, Fla.) led off the frame with a triple to right center and scored on a RBI groundout to first by redshirt-freshman RF Daniel Aldrich (Mt. Pleasant, S.C.).
The Cougars extended their lead to 6-0 in the seventh, highlighted by a three-run round-tripper by senior CF Cole Rakar (Mt. Pleasant, S.C.). Redshirt-junior C Rob Kral (Randolph, N.J.) led off the inning with a four-pitch walk and Leeds reached on a fielder's choice. Aldrich followed with a single to right and redshirt-junior LF Jose Rodrigiuez (Hialeah, Fla.) hit a RBI fielder's choice, scoring Leeds and giving the Cougars two outs in the frame. After Murray reached on a fielding error by Andrew Williams, Rakar stepped in and crushed a 1-0 pitch down the left-field line for his third home run of the season and a 6-0 CofC lead.
Presbyterian closed in on the Cougars, plating four runs in the top of the eight to cut the lead to 6-4. With junior Marty Gantt (N. Augusta, S.C.) on the mound, Aaron Preston led off the frame with a triple down the right-field line and Presbyterian loaded the bases with an infield single and a walk. Gabe Grammer knocked a one-out RBI single to right and another run scored on a throwing error by Aldrich. Williams lined a RBI single through the right side to make the score 6-3 and the Blue Hose plated another run when Brad Zebedis was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded.
Charleston picked up three runs in the bottom of the eighth to take a 9-4 advantage. Gantt led off the frame with a solo shot to left center, his fifth of the season. Kral followed with a double down the left-field line and scored on a triple to right center by Aldrich, who came home on a RBI groundout by Rodriguez. Presbyterian scored the game's final run on RBI single by Nate Horton in the ninth.
Zokan picked up his third win of the season, scattering three hits over five shutout innings with a career-high seven strikeouts. Senior RHP Casey Lucchese (Lexington, Ky.) earned his fifth save of the season, allowing one unearned run on one hits in 1-1/3 innings with three strikeouts.
Leeds led the Cougars with three hits on the evening, while Rakar's three RBIs paced the offense. Charleston out-hit the Blue Hose 13-9, who were led by Williams' two hits.
Charleston returns to SoCon action this weekend as it travels to Samford for a three-game series. Thursday's first pitch is set for 7:00 p.m. EST.
