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Eagles Take Game Three, 4-2, Win Series Over Cougars

Baseball CofCSports.com

Cougars Eliminated From SoCon Tourney By Georgia Southern

CHARLESTON, S.C. – Junior 1B Marty Gantt (N. Augusta, S.C.) hit a grand slam in the top of the eighth inning but No. 4-seed Georgia Southern held off the late-inning charge of No. 5-seed College of Charleston and defeated the Cougars 7-6 in the semifinals of the 2011 Southern Conference Baseball Championships Saturday evening at Riley Park. The Cougars fall to 39-22 on the season, while Georgia Southern advances to the championship game tomorrow afternoon against No. 3-seed Samford University.

Charleston jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the second inning as redshirt-freshman Daniel Aldrich (Mt. Pleasant, S.C.) opened the frame with a double to left center and advanced to third on a sacrifice bunt by senior SS Jamie Holler (Rock Hill, S.C.). A RBI double down the left-field line plated Aldrich and after Gantt reached on a fielding error by GSU 2B Ben Morgan, senior CF Cole Rakar (Mt. Pleasant, S.C.) lined a RBI single through the left side to score Harding for a 2-0 lead.

Georgia Southern knotted the game with a pair of runs in the third and pulled ahead with a three-run fourth to take a 5-2 lead. In the third, Shawn Payne led off the inning with an infield single to third and with the hit-and-run on, advanced to third on a single by Eric Phillips. Phillips stole second to put both runners in scoring position and a RBI single to deep short by Victor Roache brought home Payne, cutting the Charleston lead to 2-1. The Eagles tied the game one batter later when Steve Cochrane hit into a double play with Phillips scoring on the play.

The Eagles took the lead in the fourth as Payne lined a RBI triple down the right-field line to score Scooter Williams, who reached on a fielder's choice bunt. Redshirt-junior RHP Nick Osterman (Goose Creek, S.C.) came in to relieve senior starter Casey Lucchese (Lexington, Ky.) and gave up a sacrifice fly to left by Eric Phillips that scored Payne, who slid around the tag on redshirt-freshman C Jimmy Holton (West Palm Beach, Fla.) for a 4-2 lead. Roache followed and deposited a 0-2 pitch from Osterman over the wall in left center for his NCAA-leading 30th home run of the season and gave the Eagles a 5-2 lead. Georgia Southern extended their lead to 7-2 in the seventh on a RBI double by Morgan and added another when Morgan scored on a throwing error by Holton as Morgan stole third.

Charleston made the interesting late, scoring four runs in the eighth on Gantt's grand slam, his seventh of the season. With one out, Holler singled through the left side and junior 2B Rob Harding (Columbia, S.C.) was hit by a 3-1 pitch. Senior Kolby Epley (Yadkinville, N.C.) pinch-hit for Holton and drew a full-count walk to load the bases for Gantt. Gantt drove a 2-2 pitch over the wall in right field to pull the Cougars within one run, but Charleston could not push the tying run across in the final inning.

Rakar and Holler collected two hits apiece for the Cougars, while Gantt's four RBIs led the team. Lucchese took the loss for Charleston, allowing four runs on seven hits in 3-1/3 innings with four strikeouts.

Josh Adams picked up the win for Georgia Southern, allowing five runs on seven hits in 7-1/3 innings with five walks and five strikeouts. Jarrett Leverett earned the save, scattering one hit and one run in 1-2/3 innings of relief.

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Players Mentioned

Kolby Epley

#6 Kolby Epley

C
6' 0"
Freshman
Casey Lucchese

#26 Casey Lucchese

P
6' 4"
Freshman
Nick Osterman

#27 Nick Osterman

P
5' 10"
Freshman
Cole Rakar

#12 Cole Rakar

IF
5' 10"
Freshman
Daniel Aldrich

#20 Daniel Aldrich

OF
6' 2"
Freshman
Jamie Holler

#4 Jamie Holler

SS
6' 0"
Junior
Jimmy Holton

#11 Jimmy Holton

C
6' 0"
Freshman

Players Mentioned

Kolby Epley

#6 Kolby Epley

6' 0"
Freshman
C
Casey Lucchese

#26 Casey Lucchese

6' 4"
Freshman
P
Nick Osterman

#27 Nick Osterman

5' 10"
Freshman
P
Cole Rakar

#12 Cole Rakar

5' 10"
Freshman
IF
Daniel Aldrich

#20 Daniel Aldrich

6' 2"
Freshman
OF
Jamie Holler

#4 Jamie Holler

6' 0"
Junior
SS
Jimmy Holton

#11 Jimmy Holton

6' 0"
Freshman
C