College of Charleston Cougars Fall to UNCW, Face Delaware in Elimination Game
Wilmington, North Carolina
The College of Charleston Cougars found themselves in a tough spot after falling behind by six runs in the first inning against UNCW at the CAA Tournament at Brooks Field in Wilmington. The top-seeded Cougars (40-13) couldn’t complete a comeback and lost 8-5 to UNCW, marking only the fourth loss in their past 30 games. They will now face No. 4 Delaware in an elimination contest at 3 p.m.
Tough Start for the Cougars
The Seahawks put the pressure on early, scoring six runs in the first inning with a flurry of singles and a sacrifice fly. Despite this early deficit, Cougar pitching settled in and limited UNCW to just three hits for the remainder of the game. Charleston fought back, twice cutting the lead to two runs, but ultimately couldn’t overcome the early six-run gap.
Cougars’ Offense
Charleston mounted a rally in the third inning, scoring four runs highlighted by a two-run double from Cole Mathis, who had his third two-base hit of the tournament. Sacrifice flies from Cole Singsank and Kevin Madden helped narrow the gap. Madden added a solo home run in the fifth to make it a 7-5 game, but the Cougars couldn’t muster any more runs against the stingy UNCW bullpen.
Strong Pitching Performances
After a tough first inning, Jake Brink settled down and only allowed two runs on two hits over his next four frames. The Charleston bullpen kept the team in the game, with Hayden Thomas pitching a scoreless sixth and Alex Lyon delivering three hitless innings to give the Cougars a chance to come back.
Looking Ahead
The Cougars will now turn their attention to the elimination game against Delaware at 3 p.m. The winner of that matchup will have to defeat UNCW twice on the following day to claim the conference title. Charleston will look to bounce back and keep their season alive with a strong performance against Delaware.
Key Stats:
- UNCW: 8 runs on 8 hits, led by multiple RBI performances from Aiden Evans, Tanner Thach, and Brock Wills.
- COFC: 5 runs on 7 hits, with notable contributions from Cole Mathis and Kevin Madden at the plate.
- Pitching: Jake Brink and the Charleston bullpen combined for a solid effort after the early deficit.
Next Game Details:
Matchup: College of Charleston vs. No. 4 Delaware
Date: May 25, 2024
Time: 3:00 PM
Location: Wilmington, North Carolina
With their season on the line, the Cougars will be looking to bounce back against Delaware and keep their championship hopes alive. Stay tuned for what promises to be an intense and competitive elimination game at the CAA Tournament.