WEST LONG BRANCH, N.J. – Redshirt junior
Daniel Brooks threw a career-high seven innings as Charleston held on to beat Monmouth, 6-5, Saturday afternoon at MU Baseball Field.
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The Cougars clinched the conference series, improving to 18-11 and 5-3 in league play. Brooks fanned five batters and allowed just two earned runs on 95 pitches to earn his third victory of the campaign.
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CRITICAL POINTS AGAINST MONMOUTH:
- Five different Cougars tallied two hits on Saturday, including graduate Avery Neaves, who drove in three of Charleston's six runs.
- Leading 2-1 in the bottom of the fourth, sophomore Brent Gibbs drew a bases loaded walk before senior Dariyan Pendergrass beat out an infield single.
- Two batters later, Neaves made it a 5-1 game with a sacrifice fly before driving in his third run of the game in the sixth on an RBI single to left.
- Monmouth looked to claw its way back in the contest, scoring once in the seventh and twice in the eighth to make it a two-run ballgame.
- The Hawks cut their deficit to one with back-to-back one out doubles before senior Davis Aiken forced a pop out and fanned his fourth batter of the outing to secure the win.
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OF NOTE:
- Charleston improves to 8-0 against Monmouth and have scored at least five runs in all eight contests.
- CofC starters have allowed just three earned runs across 16.0 innings of work in the first two games against the Hawks.
- Aiken recorded his fifth save of the year, giving him 16 for his Charleston career.
- Aiken is now tied with Josh McLaughlin (2005-06) for seventh all-time in program history.
- Eight of Aiken's 16 saves have come 19 conference outings.
- Neaves extended his on base streak to 22 games and has reached in 27 of the 29 games.
- Neaves also recorded his team-best fourth 3 RBI game on Saturday.
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UP NEXT:
Charleston goes for the series sweep on Sunday, April 6. First pitch from MU Baseball Field is scheduled for noon with the game airing live on FloCollege.
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