Charleston Cougars Push Winning Streak to New Heights!
The Charleston Cougars took to the diamond and delivered a thrilling performance against Georgia Southern at the beautiful J. I. Clements Stadium. With a final score of 6-3, the Cougars not only celebrated a hard-fought victory but also stretched their winning streak to impressive lengths, improving their overall season record to 6-2.
Pitching and Power Play Shine Bright!
Redshirt junior Daniel Brooks put on quite the display on the mound, pitching a stellar 5.2 innings while allowing just two runs and racking up an impressive five strikeouts. His performance marked his longest outing since April 2, 2022, and it was clear he meant business from the start. Following Brooks, redshirt freshman Kevin Samonsky stepped in, tossing 2.1 scoreless innings to keep Georgia Southern at bay, while senior Davis Aiken closed out the match-up in the ninth inning.
Offense Lighting Up the Scoreboard!
The Cougars made their presence felt offensively, hitting a home run for the fifth consecutive game. This time it was Avery Neaves who launched a bomb in the fifth inning, knocked at an outrageous 108 mph and traveling an estimated 398 feet. What a sight to see!
However, it was senior Dariyan Pendergrass who was the star of the show. With 2 hits, 3 runs, and a couple of stolen bases to his name, Pendergrass has been making quite a name for himself this season. He even managed to steal his eighth base in eight games, contributing to the Cougars’ impressive total of 23 stolen bases. And let’s not forget, Pendergrass was also hit by a pitch—now that’s taking one for the team!
Building Their Lead!
The Cougars really turned up the heat in the fifth inning, scoring three crucial runs to snatch the lead. Then, in the sixth inning, they added three more runs to solidify their position, including a significant two-out single by Will Baumhofer that brought in two runs, making the score 5-2 in favor of Charleston. To cap it all off, they added an extra insurance run in the eighth inning thanks to a passed ball that allowed Pendergrass to trot home for the third time that night. Talk about team effort!
The Rivalry Continues!
With this latest victory, the all-time series now sees Charleston edging ahead of Georgia Southern with a score of 40-39. What’s even more exciting is that Charleston has now won five of the last six matches versus the Eagles—showing dominance in this feisty rivalry.
What’s Next for the Cougars?
As the Cougars ride this wave of momentum, their next challenge comes against Creighton in a highly anticipated three-game series. The first pitch is slated for Friday, February 28, with games at 4 p.m., 2 p.m., and 1 p.m. They’ll be looking to capitalize on their current form and keep the good times rolling!
With head coach Chad Holbrook at the helm, the Cougars have posted a remarkable 62-35 record in night games and an astonishing 181-18 record when outhitting their opponents. The boys are definitely cooking something good this season!
As the dust settles on this exciting match, fans can’t help but feel the excitement building for the games ahead. Stay tuned, Charleston, because the Cougars are just getting started!
