WILMINGTON, N.C. – Cougars Fall to UNCW in CAA Championship Game
UNCW scored the final five runs of the game while its bullpen retired the final 14 College of Charleston batters in a 6-4 victory that gave the Seahawks the CAA Tournament title Sunday at Brooks Field. The Seahawks (39-19) earned an automatic bid for the second straight year, and the Cougars (41-14) will have to wait until the NCAA Selection Show to see if they did enough to merit an at-large invitation. The selection show will be televised on ESPN2 tomorrow at noon. The Charleston resume includes the CAA regular season championship and 27 wins in its last 32 games. If the Cougars do secure a regional berth, it would be the eighth in school history and first since 2015.
Trevor Marsh leads UNCW to Victory
Trevor Marsh singled in two runs in the seventh to give UNCW its first lead at 5-4. The Seahawks added one more in the ninth, and Luke Craig set down the side in order in the bottom of the inning for the save. Trace Baker was the winner, going six innings of three-hit ball out of the pen.
Avery Neaves Shines for the Cougars
Avery Neaves, one of four Cougars named to the all-tournament team, doubled and scored on a Kevin Madden sacrifice fly in the first and added a two-run homer in the second to give Charleston a 3-1 lead. Madden and Luke Wood had infield singles, and an error brought home a fourth run in the third. Neaves has 25 doubles on the season, tied for the fifth most in the Cougar record book, and has 44 extra base hits including four triples and 15 home runs. He was joined on the all-tournament team by Aidan Hunter, Cole Mathis, and Trotter Harlan.
Pitching Duel
Connor Campbell, working on two days rest, pitched into the fifth and allowed five hits and three runs (two earned). He left with runners at the corners and nobody out in the fifth, but the combination of Hayden Thomas and Alex Lyon limited UNCW to just a sacrifice fly to keep the Cougars in front, 4-3.
Looking Ahead
The Seahawks will advance to the NCAA tournament, and the Cougars will have to hope for an at-large bid when the NCAA Selection Show airs tomorrow at noon on ESPN2.