MT. PLEASANT, S.C. – College of Charleston overcame a 4-1 deficit in the sixth inning and went on to defeat Georgia Southern, 8-6, on Senior Day at Patriots Point Athletic Complex.
The win gave the Cougars (31-24, 18-11) their first home sweep of the season as College of Charleston won its last regular season game while playing in the Southern Conference. The Cougars won five straight games, the longest winning streak of the season.
With the Citadel's loss to UNCG, the Cougars secured the second-place seed of the Southern Conference Tournament and will face Georgia Southern at 8:30 pm on Wednesday night.
Derrick Smith (1-0) earned his first win of the season with a two-inning relief appearance in the fifth and sixth innings. Dre Watts came on for yet another multiple-inning save, his eighth of the season and third save in five games.
Carl Wise had two home runs in the contest and finished with three RBIs, while Blake Butler extended his hitting streak to nine games with three hits including the go-ahead two-RBI single in the sixth inning. Wise hit three home runs in the series, while he and Butler have combined for a .536 average and 18 runs in the Cougars' five-game winning streak.
Gunnar Heidt and Ben Boykin each recorded doubles, while Alex Pastorius came off the bench to get a two-run pinch-hit single.
Ben Morgan led the Eagles with a three-hit day and three RBI, including a home run in the top of the ninth inning. Tyler Avera added an RBI and a run, and Brent Pugh scored a run with an RBI.
Georgia Southern jumped on top in the third inning with three singles and RBIs from Morgan and Pugh. Wise responded for CofC with a solo home run in the bottom of the inning, but the Eagles added two more runs in the fourth and fifth inning to build a 4-1 lead.
Charleston rallied big in the bottom of the sixth frame, starting with a walk from Murray and a single from Cody Martin. After a sacrifice bunt from Phillips and hit-by-pitch from Tyler Jackson, Pastorius lined a shot into the gap in right center to score two runs and make it a one-run game. Boykin was then hit by a pitch to re-load the bases for the red-hot Butler who knocked his third hit of the game and scored the go-ahead runs.
CofC added insurance runs in the bottom of the eighth inning with a single from Jackson, double from Boykin and home run from Wise.
Despite GSU's two-run homer from Morgan in the ninth frame, Watts held on to make the final out and secure the 8-6 victory.
Charleston has now finished first, second or third in the SoCon regular season in nine of the last 10 years. The Cougars will play in nightcap of the SoCon tournament opening day on Wednesday, going for a fourth straight win over Georgia Southern.
Before the game, CofC honored the careers of 10 seniors: Drew Freie, Bradley Goodson, Tyler Jackson, Griffin Jones, Cody Martin, Matt Pegler, Jimmy Revan, Dre Watts, Ryan West and Jake Zokan. The group tallied a 152-87 in their collective four years at College of Charleston.
