GREENSBORO, N.C. – Senior Dylan Johnson hit a home run, plated the game-winning run and threw out a would-be base stealer in the bottom of the tenth to help lead College of Charleston baseball to a 5-4 10 inning victory Friday evening at War Memorial Stadium.
 
With the win, the Cougars improve to 29-19 overall and 11-11 in the CAA while the Aggies slip to 15-32 and 9-13 in league action.
 
Junior Jake Brink fanned a career-best 10 batters in the no-decision, allowing four runs on four hits and a walk in eight innings of work.
 
 
CRITICAL POINTS AGAINST NORTH CAROLINA A&T:

• Charleston scored a pair of runs in the first off an RBI single from redshirt junior Ethan Plyler and sac fly from graduate Will Baumhofer.
• Leading 2-1 in the third, Johnson launched a solo shot over the left field wall, his third in as many conference games, for the 3-1 advantage.
• North Carolina A&T hit a solo home run itself in the fourth before connecting on a two-run homer in the fifth for the brief lead.
• In the top of the sixth, freshman Alex LaCoste leveled the contest at four, collecting a two-out double which scored senior Tyler Sorrentino.
• Brink finished the no-decision with a career-high 10 punchouts, throwing 76 of his 105 pitches for strikes.
• CofC flashed the leather on back-to-back plays in the bottom of the ninth as graduate Avery Neaves made a sliding catch against the left field wall in foul territory before senior Ben Venables laid out to make the grab.
• In the top of the tenth, Johnson battled, sending the seventh pitch of the at bat to center to plate Plyler, allowing the Cougars to go ahead 5-4.
• After allowing an infield single to begin the bottom of the tenth, Johnson threw out his 19th base runner of the season, helping senior Davis Aiken pick up his tenth save of the season.
• Redshirt junior Alex Lyon earned the win after tossing a scoreless ninth, improving to 8-1 on the campaign.

 
OF NOTE:

• Charleston improves to 12-5 against North Carolina A&T in the all-time series and 3-1 as the visitors.
• Senior Tyler Sorrentino extended his hitting streak to eight games.
• Johnson has hit a home run in the last three conference contests and thrown out a runner in three of the last four ballgames.
• Lyon earned his eighth victory of the season in his 73rd career relief outing. Lyon has the most wins by a CofC reliever dating back to 2004.
• Lyon took sole possession of fourth all-time in career relief outings and tied Carter Love with the most in the first three years at CofC.
• Aiken picked up his tenth save of the season, becoming just the fourth pitcher in program history to register multiple seasons of double-digit stops.
• Johnson hosed his 19th would-be base stealer, taking over sole possession of third all-time in a year in program history.

 
 
UP NEXT:
Charleston continues its series with North Carolina A&T on Saturday, May 10. First pitch from War Memorial Stadium is set for 6 p.m.
 
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