MT. PLEASANT, S.C. – Georgia Southern scored seven runs on 14 hits as the Eagles bested College of Charleston, 7-3, in the teams' first meeting as newly non-conference opponents on a chilly evening at Patriots Point.
The Cougars (24-12) used five pitchers in the midweek contest while Georgia Southern (26-13) saw seven different arms enter the game.
The bullpen from both teams earned decisions as Will Jackson (2-0) earned the win for the Eagles with a 2.1 inning outing, starting in the third. He allowed one run on two hits and struck out two. CofC's Eric Bauer went three innings in his first start since February. He allowed two runs on six hits, but it was Nathan Helvey (3-3) that was tagged with the loss as he gave up the go-ahead run in the fourth inning.
Charleston's offense scored three runs on five hits, led by Gunnar Heidt's two-RBI double. Morgan Phillips had two hits with a run, and Nick Pappas knocked a two-out RBI single in the fourth inning.
Georgia Southern's Garrett Chapman went 4-for-5 with two runs and two RBIs. Dalton Busy had two hits with a double, scoring a run and driving in another. Kody Adams also had an RBI double.
The Eagles scored the game's first run in the second inning after a single up the middle from Chapman and a long double from Dusby that scored Chapman from first base.
Charleston answered with two runs in the bottom of the third inning, mounting a two-out rally that began with Rowland's single to right field. Blake Butler earned a walk, and then Heidt doubled to the wall in left field to score both runs and put CofC in front 2-1.
However, the Eagles rebounded with three runs in the fourth inning that put GSU ahead for good. Chapman led off with an infield single followed by two more infield singles that scored a run after an error. Two wild pitches were followed by a double from Adams that put Georgia Southern ahead 4-2. Helvey was able to get out of the inning with a groundout and flyout.
Phillips led off the fourth with a double to right and then Pappas scored him with a two-out single to draw CofC back to 4-3.
The Eagles bolstered their lead with a run in the sixth inning and another two runs in the seventh with Chapman's two-RBI double. The Cougars only tallied one hit from the fifth inning on and Georgia Southern took the 7-3 win.
College of Charleston welcomes James Madison to Patriots Point this weekend for another CAA series. The Cougars are currently in first place in the conference by a half-game over William & Mary.
