MT. PLEASANT, S.C. -- A three-run bottom of the sixth lifted No. 19 College of Charleston to a 7-5 victory over the Western Kentucky University baseball team on Friday afternoon at Patriots Point Field.
WKU (5-4) rallied from down 4-0 in the bottom of the first to tie the game in the fourth and later added a single run in the sixth but failed to complete their fifth comeback win of the season.
Five different WKU hitters collected multiple hits as the Hilltoppers tallied double figure hits for the seventh game this season.
College of Charleston (9-1) scored seven runs on nine hits including a pair of RBIs from third baseman Matt Leeds.
Hilltoppers starting pitcher Tanner Perkins (2-1) allowed seven runs - four earned - with three strikeouts over 4-1/3 innings. Redshirt senior Brian Edelen and redshirt junior Ross Hammonds combined to shut out the Cougars over the final 3-2/3 innings.
Cougars starter David Peterson (2-0) surrendered four runs on seven hits in five innings while walking three and striking out four. Right-hander Nick Osterman picked up his first save of the season, allowing one hit with three strikeouts in two innings.
The College of Charleston took an early 4-0 lead in the first inning. Leeds drove in a pair of runs with a double followed by an RBI groundout from first baseman Jose Rodriguez. Left fielder Daniel Aldrich later scored from third as second baseman Jesse Messa was picked off first in a run down.
WKU tallied two runs in the second to cut the Charleston lead to 4-2. First baseman Ryan Huck drove catcher Matt Rice with an RBI single to left field and shortstop Logan Robbins sent home designated hitter Scott Wilcox with an infield single.
The Hilltoppers tied the game at 4-4 with a pair of runs in the top of the fourth. With one out, Robbins singled through the left side and stole second. Left fielder Jared Andreoli then drove in Rob bins with a triple just inside the first-base bag. An RBI groundout by second baseman Ivan Hartle followed to score Andreoli.
The Cougars scored three unearned runs in the bottom of the fourth to make the score 7-4. Two hits and a sacrifice fly scattered among a pair of Hilltoppers errors accounted for the scoring.
WKU cut the lead to 7-5 in the top of the sixth after Huck scored when Hartle grounded into a double play. Huck led off the inning with a single, advanced to second on a wild pitch and finally to third on a single by Andreoli.
The Hilltoppers returns to action Saturday with a 4 p.m. matchup against New York Tech (0-1), followed 30 minutes later by a game against No. 25 Auburn (7-3), originally scheduled for Sunday. Due to weather forecasts in the Charleston, S.C. area, the tournament schedule was altered. WKU will send freshman right-hander Justin Hageman (1-1, 3.00 ERA) against sophomore Tom Cardona (0-0, 0.00 ERA) for the Bears. Sophomore Taylor Haydel (1-1, 5.84) is scheduled to start against Auburn.
