Redshirt junior Daniel Brooks delivered a dominant performance on the mound, striking out nine batters to help College of Charleston (CofC) earn an 11-5 victory over North Carolina A&T on Saturday evening. The win marked the Cougars’ 30th victory of the season, bringing their overall record to 30-19 and 12-11 in the Colonial Athletic Association (CAA). The Aggies, on the other hand, dropped to 15-33 overall and 9-14 in league play.
Key Moments in CofC’s Victory
Charleston’s offense was consistent throughout the game, scoring in five consecutive innings from the third to the seventh. The Cougars’ most significant offensive surge came in the fifth inning, when they scored five runs to extend their lead.
Graduate Avery Neaves played a key role, hitting a two-run double to right-center field that brought in senior Dylan Johnson and graduate Will Baumhofer. Charleston’s ninth and tenth runs came on wild pitches, followed by redshirt junior Ethan Plyler’s single, which scored senior Dariyan Pendergrass, who crossed the plate three times in the win.
Baumhofer and Plyler both had standout performances, collecting three hits each. The Cougars also demonstrated excellent baserunning, stealing eight bases and drawing eight walks on the night.
Defensive and Pitching Highlights
On the mound, Brooks led the way with nine strikeouts and kept the Aggies at bay throughout his outing. Senior Davis Aiken came in to pitch a scoreless ninth inning to seal the victory for the Cougars.
Brooks, along with junior Jake Brink, has been a key factor in the team’s success. Together, they’ve struck out 19 batters in just 14.1 innings.
Notable Statistics and Streaks
Charleston’s victory marked several milestones and impressive stats:
- CofC improved to 13-5 against North Carolina A&T in the all-time series and 4-1 when playing on the road against them.
- Senior Tyler Sorrentino extended his hitting streak to nine games.
- The Cougars’ eight stolen bases were the most in a game since they swiped nine bags on March 31, 2009, against Charleston Southern.
- Pendergrass scored his team-leading 51st run of the season.
- The Cougars have now scored double-digit runs in three of their last four games.
- CofC’s eight walks in the game marked the seventh time this season they’ve drawn at least eight walks in a game.
- The Cougars are now 11-1 this season and 90-5 under head coach Chad Holbrook when scoring 10 or more runs.
Looking Ahead
Charleston will look to complete the series sweep against North Carolina A&T on Sunday. First pitch from War Memorial Stadium is scheduled for 1 p.m. as the Cougars aim to build on their strong performance and extend their winning streak.
