STATESBORO, Ga. – Georgia Southern scored six runs in the first two innings and added a trio of insurance runs in the middle innings to top College of Charleston, 10-6, on Tuesday at J.I. Clements Stadium.
Junior Bradley Jones hit a pair of solo home runs in the game and has now homered in three consecutive games, a feat he also accomplished last season. The Cougars (3-4) were able to get the tying run to the plate in the fifth, but left the bases loaded.
Jones hit his first home run of the game with two outs in the first inning, and then launched a 2-1 pitch to right in the eighth for the second long ball of the night. The Travelers Rest, S.C., native has hit five homers on the season, four of the solo variety.
Bradley Dixon drove home a run with an RBI single in the ninth. Tommy Richter scored later in the inning on a wild pitch to pull CofC to within four, but the Cougars were unable do any more damage.
MOMENT THAT MATTERED
Despite trailing 7-1, the Cougars were able to fight back and bring the tying run to the plate in the fifth inning. Georgia Southern starter Landon Hughes was flagged for a balk allowing Logan McRae to score. One batter later, Tommy Richter, who doubled earlier in the frame, scored on a wild pitch. Ryan Brown and Bradley Jones worked consecutive walks to load the bases, but a strikeout ended the threat.
TURNING POINT
Georgia Southern (5-4) poured on six runs on eight hits in the first two innings. The Eagles scored three runs in both the first and second inning, all three in the first came with two outs. Every starter in the hot-hitting Georgia Southern lineup finished with a hit.
NOTEWORTHY
> Bradley Jones homered in his third consecutive game with a solo blast in the first inning on Tuesday. Jones is also the last player to accomplish the feat. The Travelers Rest, S.C., native hit a home run in three consecutive games from March 31-April 4 of last season.
> Jones has recorded seven hits on the season, all for extra bases. He has posted three doubles and four home runs.
> Tommy Richter and Logan McRae both extended their reached base streaks to six games.
> Freshman Clay Helvey made his collegiate debut. The younger brother of CofC senior, Nathan Helvey, Clay pitched a clean inning in the seventh striking out one.
> Freshman Bradley Dixon singled home a run in the ninth inning to record his first career RBI.
College of Charleston will host No. 18 Coastal Carolina (5-2) at Patriots Point on Wednesday. First pitch is set for 5 p.m.
For more information on College of Charleston baseball, visit CofCSports.com or follow the team on Twitter at @CofCBaseball.
