College of Charleston struck for two big innings offensively and had two pitchers combine for a one-hit performance in a 13-0 victory over the Youngstown State baseball team in the series finale on Sunday afternoon at Patriots Point in Mt. Pleasant, S.C.
The Cougars struck for six runs in the third inning and five in the fourth before adding pair of runs in the fifth on their way to completing the three-game series sweep.
Youngstown State falls to 0-6 on the 2024 season while College of Charleston improves to 7-0.
CofC starter Connor Campbell did allow a base runner until Matt Thompson sent a two-out single to right field in the top of the eighth inning. Campbell allowed one hit and struck out three batters over 7.2 scoreless innings to earn his second victory of the season. Davis Aiken came on to retire all four batters he faced to complete the one-hit effort for the Cougars.
YSU starter Braden Gebhardt suffered the loss after allowing five runs on five hits with three strikeouts and three walks over 2.1 innings in his first start of the season. Nick Perez was responsible for six runs on five hits and four walks in 1.2 innings before Casey Marshalwitz surrendered two runs on three hits in one inning of work. Lane Rhodes allowed one hit over two scoreless innings while Cam Marshalwitz tossed a scoreless eighth inning in his first appearance of the campaign.
College of Charleston scored six runs on six hits in the bottom of the third inning to build a 6-0 lead. Dariyan Pendergrass hit a leadoff double and Cole Mathis followed with an RBI double to put the Cougars on the board. After Kevin Madden brought home Mathis with a one-out RBI single, Avery Neaves hit a two-run home run to left field to put CofC in front 4-0. An RBI single by Dylan Johnson and an RBI groundout by Tyler Sorrentino gave the Cougars a 6-0 edge after three innings.
The Cougars went on to strike for five runs in the home half of the fourth inning to push their advantage to 11-0. Luke Wood hit a two-run single with the bases loaded, Johnson followed with an RBI double and Sorrentino drove in a run with a groundout. Johnson came around to score on a wild pitch for the final run of the frame. College of Charleston added a pair of runs on three hits in the bottom of the fifth to produce the final margin. Madden hit a one-out solo home run before Neaves doubled and scored when Wood reached on a fielder's choice.
Youngstown State is scheduled to play its first midweek contest of the season on Wednesday at Pitt. First pitch at Charles L. Cost Field in Pittsburgh is slated for 3 p.m.
