
Connor Campbell Flirts with Perfection as Cougars Sweep YSU
2/25/2024 4:18:00 PM | Baseball
CHARLESTON, S.C. - The Charleston baseball team completed a sweep of Youngstown State on Sunday with a 13-0 win. Charleston built a big lead with a six-run third inning and five-run fourth inning. With a commanding lead, Charleson's Connor Campbell pounded the zone and used the Cougar defense to keep the Penguins off the bases through the seventh inning. With two down in the 8th, Matt Thompson of YSU smacked a single into RF to end Campbell's perfect game bid.
After three perfect innings from Campbell, the Cougars offense got things rolling when Dariyan Pendergrass and Cole Mathis hit back-to-back doubles to get the Cougars on the board. An RBI single by Kevin Madden pushed the lead to 3-0 before Avery Neaves homered to make it 4-0. The Cougs continued to add to the lead the rest of the inning and into the next as the lead ballooned to 11-0. Madden then homered to make it 12-0 as the veteran third baseman wrapped up a stellar weekend at the plate.
While the Cougs offense built the lead, Campbell protected it and flirted with history. By the 7th inning, the Cougars defense had been much changed but continued to make plays, notably Ben Venables at short who perfectly played two shots right at him for clean outs. With two down in the 8th, Campbell's bid to throw the first perfect game in Cougars history came to an end on a single to right field. The graduate-senior left the field to a standing ovation at Patriots Park.
Key Cougars
After three perfect innings from Campbell, the Cougars offense got things rolling when Dariyan Pendergrass and Cole Mathis hit back-to-back doubles to get the Cougars on the board. An RBI single by Kevin Madden pushed the lead to 3-0 before Avery Neaves homered to make it 4-0. The Cougs continued to add to the lead the rest of the inning and into the next as the lead ballooned to 11-0. Madden then homered to make it 12-0 as the veteran third baseman wrapped up a stellar weekend at the plate.
While the Cougs offense built the lead, Campbell protected it and flirted with history. By the 7th inning, the Cougars defense had been much changed but continued to make plays, notably Ben Venables at short who perfectly played two shots right at him for clean outs. With two down in the 8th, Campbell's bid to throw the first perfect game in Cougars history came to an end on a single to right field. The graduate-senior left the field to a standing ovation at Patriots Park.
Key Cougars
- Campbell's final line on the day was 7.2 IP, 1 hit, 0 walks and 3 K's.
- Kevin Madden went 3-for-3 at the plate with a homer, two runs, two RBI and a walk.
- Avery Neaves finished 2-for-3 with a homer, double, three runs, two RBI and a walk.
- Charleston will play host to the Nebraska Cornhuskers on Thursday in game one of a three-game set. First pitch for the series opener is at 2:00 p.m.
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Campbell, Connor (2-0)
L: GEBHARDT, Braden (0-2)

Batting:
2B: Pendergrass, Dariyan 1 ; Mathis, Cole 1 ; Harlan, Trotter 1 ; Neaves, Avery 1 ; Johnson, Dylan 1
HR: Madden, Kevin 1 ; Neaves, Avery 1
RBI: Mathis, Cole 1 ; Madden, Kevin 2 ; Neaves, Avery 2 ; Wood, Luke 2 ; Johnson, Dylan 2 ; Sorrentino, Tyler 2
Base Running:
RUNS: Pendergrass, Dariyan 1 ; Mathis, Cole 1 ; Harlan, Trotter 1 ; Madden, Kevin 2 ; Neaves, Avery 3 ; Singsank, Cole 2 ; Wood, Luke 2 ; Johnson, Dylan 1
HBP: McMeans, Cavan 1 ; Foster, Nick 1
Game Leaders
Players Mentioned
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