Cougars Bounce Back with Authority, Knock Off #21 Coastal Carolina
It was a big night at Patriots Point as the College of Charleston Cougars took down the No. 21-ranked Coastal Carolina Chanticleers, 4-2, completing a season sweep and energizing a fired-up home crowd.
Freshman Drew Medley set the tone early, looking sharp in his first collegiate start by pitching 2.1 scoreless innings. Senior Garrick Murray followed up with two dominant shutout innings, earning the win and evening his record at 1-1. Senior closer Davis Aiken sealed the victory with a clutch six-out save, his eighth of the year, effectively silencing Coastal’s late-game rally.
The Cougs jumped ahead in thrilling fashion thanks to Avery Neaves, who stole home during a daring first-and-third play in the second inning, igniting the Patriots Point crowd. Senior Dariyan Pendergrass stepped up big, driving in two crucial runs—first with an RBI groundout in the fifth inning and again with an RBI single in the seventh, extending Charleston’s lead to 3-0.
Coastal Carolina briefly threatened in the eighth inning with Sebastian Alexander’s two-run homer. However, the Cougars quickly responded in the bottom half, as freshman Matthew Dominianni displayed impressive discipline at the plate, drawing a key bases-loaded walk to restore the two-run advantage.
Despite being outhit 12-8, the Cougars’ defense and pitching were outstanding in crucial moments, stranding nine Coastal runners and shutting down several scoring threats with impressive fielding.
This victory is a significant statement for Charleston, marking the program’s first win over a ranked opponent since defeating No. 14 Virginia Tech at the beginning of the 2023 season. Additionally, it’s Charleston’s eighth victory over a ranked Coastal team, highlighting their history of rising to big occasions. Head coach Chad Holbrook now has seven victories against ranked opponents during his tenure, further cementing his success against top competition.
Next up, the Cougars look to carry their momentum into an important three-game series against UNCW starting Friday, April 25th, at Patriots Point. First pitch is scheduled for 6 p.m., with all games available live on FloCollege.
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