COLLEGE OF CHARLESTON POWERES BY FURMAN 15-5
Greenville, S.C.--College of Charleston pounded out nine extra-base hits, including seven doubles, en route to a 15-5 drilling of Furman in baseball action Saturday evening at Furman Baseball Stadium.
Charleston (15-5, 2-0 SoCo ) quickly jumped on starter Corey Etheridge (1-4) in the first inning. After retiring the lead-off man, Etheridge gave up four hits and three runs as Charleston took a 3-0 lead.
In the second, the Cougars continued to score at will as Jasha Balcom doubled to center field to drive in Jack Arroyo and Brett Anderson. Lee Curtis followed with a single to plate Balcom, giving Charleston a 5-1 lead. After a Stanly Nix fly out, Etheridge threw a wild pitch, allowing Curtis to score, extending the Cougaršs lead to 6-1. Matt Lauderdale followed with a triple to right field, knocking Etheridge off the mound after 1 2/3 innings.
Furman (8-10, 2-3 SoCon) tried to fight back in the fourth inning as Derek Norman blasted a home run to cut Charlestonšs lead to 9-2. Later in the fifth inning, the Paladins led-off with two singles and a walk, but were unable to produce any runs as Cougar starter Matt Rackers (3-0) retired the next three batters to get out of the jam.
In the sixth, the Paladins struck again after Brett Henninger drove in Nick Wajda on a single to left field. Later Cole Hubka singled to drive in Brandon Barrett, triming the Cougaršs lead to 10-4.
Charleston, however, responded in the seventh, scoring four runs off two hits, a walk, and three hits batsman. In the inning, Matt Lauderdale drove in Stanley Nix and Lee Curtis on a single to center field. Brett Spivey followed with a double to center field, scoring Mickey Torello to give the Cougars a 14-4 advantage.
Cougar reliever Shawn Hollard shut down the Paladins over the final three innings, holding Furman to one run off three hits to pick up his second save of the year.
Charleston was headlined by Matt Lauderdale and Lee Curtis who both went 3-for-4 with three RBI.
For Furman, Derek Norman went 2-for-5 with two runs scored and two RBI, and Brett Henninger went 3-for-5 with two RBI to led the Paladins.
The two teams take aim at each other in game three of the series Sunday afternoon at Furman Baseball Stadium. The first pitch is slated for 1:00 p.m.