Charleston Cougars Clinch CAA Regular Season Title After Long Night at Elon
ELON, N.C. – Nobody said winning a conference championship would be easy. College of Charleston sat through an hour and a half rain delay before the start of Friday’s game at Elon and then surrendered a pair of late leads before finally holding on for an 8-6 win in 11 innings to wrap up its second CAA regular season title in the past three years. Cole Mathis doubled in Will Baumhofer with one out in the 11th and later scored on a stolen base and error to give the Cougars the lead, and Charleston’s third double play of the game in the bottom of the inning sealed the No. 1 seed in next week’s CAA Tournament in Wilmington.
Seeking Fifth Sweep
Charleston (38-12, 20-5 CAA) opens play in Wilmington next Thursday at 3 p.m. The Cougars, winners of eight consecutive series, will look for its fifth sweep when they finish the regular season Saturday at 1 p.m. The Cougars won their seventh regular season conference title since the start of the program in 1991, including three in the CAA and four in the Southern Conference. They will be seeking their third conference tournament championship and first since capturing the CAA crown in 2015.
Key Plays
Dylan Johnson’s two-run single in the seventh put the Cougars in front 3-2 and gave him five RBI in the series, but Elon tied it with a leadoff home run in the ninth. Cole Singsank quickly put Charleston back in front with a three-run shot in the top of the 10th, but the Phoenix resurrected themselves with three in their half of the frame. Singsank’s home run was his 18th of the season, including eighth in the last six games, and increased his team-leading RBI total to 54. Mathis, who homered in the fourth for the first Charleston run, scored three times on Friday and has crossed the plate seven time in the two games so far at Elon.
Strong Pitching
Starter Jake Brink was sharp in his six innings, allowing four hits and matching his season high with six strikeouts. Emmett Bice pitched two shutout innings, and Alex Lyon relieved closer Davis Aiken in the 10th and blanked the Phoenix on one hit over the final 1.2 innings for his fourth win.
Player Performances
Cole Mathis had a standout game, doubling in a crucial run in the 11th inning and scoring a total of three times. His performance was vital in securing the win for the Cougars. Dylan Johnson’s contributions at the plate with a two-run single were also crucial in putting Charleston ahead in the game.
Next Steps
The Cougars will now shift their focus to the upcoming CAA Tournament in Wilmington, where they will enter as the No. 1 seed. With their eyes set on both the conference title and tournament championship, Charleston will be looking to carry their momentum from the regular season into the postseason.