MT PLEASANT, S.C. – College of Charleston baseball defeated VCU 10-0 in seven innings in the first game of the 2025 season Friday afternoon at Patriots Point.
 
The Cougars improve to 19-1 on Opening Day since 2006 and have scored double-digit runs in three of the last four opening contests. Over the span, Charleston has earned three shutout wins.
 
Junior Jake Brink tossed five shutout innings, striking out five batters while yielding just four base runners. Redshirt junior Alex Lyon fanned three across the final two frames.
 
CofC plated eight runs over the final two innings with five in the bottom of the sixth to put the run rule into effect.

 

OH MY, SOTO!#TheCollege ???? pic.twitter.com/141oyBypKd

— Charleston Baseball (@CofCBaseball) February 14, 2025

 
CRITICAL POINTS AGAINST VCU:

• Payton Frehner, Avery Neaves and Dariyan Pendergrass each tallied two hits in the win.
• Neaves scored a game-high three runs while Will Baumhofer crossed the plate twice with three RBI.
• Lyon recorded six-plus outs for the 20th time in his career.
• Charleston improves to 97-8 under head coach Chad Holbrook when allowing two-or-fewer runs.

 
OF NOTE:

• Charleston evens the all-time series against VCU at 4-4.
• Brink is the first Charleston pitcher in the last decade to have back-to-back shutout starts on Opening Day.
• Baumhofer tallied his 15th career multi-RBI contest on Friday.
• Charleston's five stolen bases are the most on Opening Day since 2006 (7).
• Pendergrass tied his career high with three stolen bases.
• Matthew Dominianni and Rafael Soto made their collegiate debuts for the Cougars.

  
UP NEXT:
Charleston and VCU play a doubleheader on Saturday, Feb. 15. First pitch in game one is set for 11 a.m. The second game will begin approximately one hour following the conclusion of the opener. Both contests are nine inning games.
 
For complete coverage of Charleston baseball, follow us on Facebook (/CollegeofCharlestonBaseball), X (@CofCBaseball) and Instagram (@CofC_Baseball).