College of Charleston 4, Clemson 2
CLEMSON, S.C. - College of Charleston's pitching staff threw a gem on Monday to guide the Cougars to a 4-2 win over Clemson at Doug Kingsmore Stadium.
Cougar starter Matt Pegler (8-2) earned his eighth win of the season as he helped College of Charleston (32-15) bounce back from a 12-3 defeat on Sunday night. Pegler pitched 6.0 innings, allowing just two runs and five hits while striking out two batters.
Senior Kyle Owings finished the game with a near-perfect three-inning performance, giving up just one hit and one walk in the seventh, eighth and ninth innings to earn his second save of the season.
Daniel Aldrich hit his seventh home run of the season, a solo shot in the fourth inning that tied the game. Rob Harding finished 2-for-4 with an RBI, and Bradley Goodson notched two hits and scored a run. Brandon Glazer extended his hitting streak to 14 games with a single, as he would eventually come around to steal home in the fourth.
Clemson (28-20) starter Jonathan Meyer (2-4) was tagged with the loss as he went 5.1 IP with four runs, two earned, while allowing seven hits. Leadoff batter Steve Wilkerson notched two hits with an RBI and a run.
"I was really proud of our team as they fought hard and took a win today," head coach Monte Lee said. "Matt Pegler pitched really well and Kyle Owings finished strong. Our defense made some big plays for us, and we had some timely hitting. We have to keep working hard to get to where we want to be at the end of the season."
The Cougars scored first for the first time this weekend as Goodson singled and Aldrich doubled in the first inning. Goodson came around to score as the Tiger right-fielder mishandled the ball and Aldrich advanced to third base.
Clemson retook the lead in the third inning with its only runs of the game. Jason Stolz drew a two-out walk and Wilkerson doubled him home. After a walk from Thomas Brittle, Richie Shaffer singled to score Wilkerson from second and Clemson went ahead 2-1.
Aldrich tied the game in the next half-inning with a solo home run to right center. The Cougars were not done, however, as Glazer hit a two-out single and advanced to third on an error. College of Charleston then took the lead as they pulled a double-steal attempt and Glazer stole home with Tyler Jackson occupying the Tiger infielders between first and second.
Harding added the final Cougar run in the sixth inning as he singled to right center and scored Goodson from second base to make the score 4-2.
The Cougar defense played solidly down the stretch, making key plays in the infield to stymie Clemson on several situations with runners in scoring position.
Owings stayed on in the ninth inning and worked around a two-out walk to pick up his second save of the season.
The win was the first for the College of Charleston in the all-time series against Clemson (1-17).
The Cougars will return home on Tuesday for a 6 p.m. game against Savannah State. Left-handed pitcher Jake Zokan will take the mound for his first start this season.
Elon 11, Western Carolina 4
ELON, N.C. -- Elon jumped out to an early 5-0 lead and later put the game out of reach with a six-run eighth on its way to an 11-4 Southern Conference baseball victory over the Western Carolina Catamounts.
Holding a 5-4 lead going into the last of the eighth inning, Elon (28-23, 17-10 SoCon) erupted for six runs on four hits. Joey Tomko got things started with a single up the middle and then went to third when the throw to first on Casey Jones' bunt single was wide. With one out, Eric Serra put down a suicide squeeze to make it 6-4 and was safe at first on the second Catamount error of the frame. The wild throw allowed Jones to also score and Serra to end up at third. Quinn Bower's double to right-center drove home Serra as the Phoenix grabbed a 8-4 edge. The maroon and gold added runs on yet another error, an Alex Swim sac fly and a Ryan Kinsella single to build the final margin.
For the third straight day Elon scored in the first inning. The Phoenix got one in the first when a Kinsella ground out plated Jake Luce.
The Phoenix added three in the second and a single run in the third when Michael Elefante belted the first homer of his career.
Western Carolina (29-18, 13-11) scored single runs in the fourth and fifth before scoring twice in the eighth to pull within one. The two eighth-inning markers came on a Jacob Hoyle homer.
David Whitehead (4-3) won after allowing four runs on seven hits in 7.2 innings. Nate Young threw the final 1.1 frames to claim his eighth save of the season.
Taking the loss was Jeremy Null. Null gave up five runs (two earned) on four hits in 6.2 innings of work.
Kinsella's ninth-inning hit extended his hitting streak to a career-best 13 games.
Elon gets right back on the diamond on Tuesday as the Phoenix will travel to East Carolina for a 6 p.m. game.