College of Charleston
Elon
Elon Captures Two Dramatic Wins In Sunday Doubleheader
3/5/2012 1:41:00 AM | Baseball
Elon's Niko Fraser robbed a potentially game-winning grand slam from Dre Watts in the 8th inning of the first game, while the Phoenix Jake Luce hit a game-winning solo home run in the top of the 10th inning to win the second game.
With the 4-2 win in the first game and 3-2 victory in the second game, Elon improved to 7-4 overall and 2-1 in SoCon play. College of Charleston won the first game of the series, but Sunday's two losses put the Cougars at 7-3 overall and 1-2 in conference.
Rob Harding tallied two doubles on the day while Daniel Aldrich drove in three runs. Gunnar Heidt went 3-of-6 at the dish with one run, and Marty Gantt finished 4-of-10 for the doubleheader.
The Cougar pitching staff only allowed four earned runs while striking out 15, but the Phoenix were up to the challenge, holding CofC to just two runs in a game for the first time this season, while combining for 23 strikeouts. College of Charleston left 20 runners on base in the two games.
Game 1
The Cougars got on the board first in the afternoon game, plating a run off a single from Aldrich that scored Harding from second base.
The Phoenix were able to tie the game in the third inning after a Cougar error with two outs allowed Eric Serra to score from third.
Elon was able to take advantage of a two-out situation again in the third inning when Fraser advanced to third after a throw from Holton on a stolen base attempt went wide. Casey Jones singled in Fraser from third and kept the inning alive on a hard hit ball to short. A single from Eric Serra scored Jones who had advanced to second on a passed ball to make it 3-1. Serra stole second and advanced to third on a single by Gomez, then he came home on a double steal attempt after a throw home by Powell went wide, to make it 4-1.
The Cougars had a chance to tie the game came in the eighth inning after a single from Aldrich and walks from Brandon Murray and Brandon Glazer loaded the bases with one out. After a strikeout from Cody Martin, Watts hit a blast to right center field for a potential go-ahead grand slam, but Fraser leapt at the wall to rob the home run.
College of Charleston loaded the bases again in the ninth inning with none out. Gantt struck out swinging and Aldrich walked in a run to make the margin just 4-2. However, Murray struck out and Tyler Jackson popped out to end the game.
Dylan Clark (3-1) picked up the win for Elon, tossing 6.2 IP, with five hits but just one run allowed to go with six strikeouts. CofC's Christian Powell (2-1) earned his first loss of the season as he allowed four runs, just one earned, while striking out four and giving up seven hits in 6.2 IP. Grant McCoury was credited with the save for Elon.
Game 2
The Cougars drew blood first in the second game as well, capitalizing on hits from Heidt and Goodson to create a sacrifice fly situation for Murray. After a single from Gantt moved Goodson to third, Aldrich grounded out to first base to earn his third RBI of the day, and CofC led 2-0.
Junior Matt Pegler pitched well for College of Charleston as he allowed just one hit through the first five innings and eventually earned a no-decision.
Elon finally manufactured a run in the sixth inning when Serra was hit by a pitch and then stole second and advanced to third on a bunt from Luce. Swim scored Serra from third with a hard hit come-backer that ricocheted off Pegler to make the margin 2-1.
The Phoenix tied the game in the eighth inning with more small ball as Serra singled and advanced to second on a bunt off Watts. Luce drove him in from second with a single up the middle to make the score 2-2.
Despite a hard hit ball to the center field warning track by Aldrich in the bottom of the eighth, College of Charleston could not plate a run in the next two half-innings, sending the game to the 10th inning.
After senior closer David Peterson induced a groundout and struck out Sebastian Gomez in the top of the 10th, Luce turned on a ball to right field to hit the go-ahead home run and eventual game-winner.
The Cougars could not string together hits in the bottom of the inning and Elon won the second game, 3-2.
Andrew MacDonald (1-0) picked up the win for Elon, while Peterson earned his first loss of the season. Nate Young was credited with the save.
College of Charleston will play two mid-week games this week, starting on Tuesday, March 6, when the Cougars host Toledo at 6 p.m. at Patriots Point.
