Charleston Tallies Three Late Runs To Earn 5-2 Win Over Delaware
Rob Washburn
Box Score
MT. PLEASANT, S.C. (May 26, 2023) – Luke Wood’s RBI single in the seventh snapped a 2-2 tie and helped send fourth-seeded Charleston to a 5-2 victory over #5 Delaware in Game 6 of the CAA Baseball Championship on Friday morning at the Ballpark at Patriots Point.
The Cougars (36-21), who avenged a loss to the Blue Hens in the opening game of the tournament, will be back in action at 12:30 p.m. in another elimination game against #2 Elon. Delaware (30-29) was knocked out of the tournament after the loss.
Cole Mathis went 2-for-3 and drove in two to lead Charleston offensively, while Joseph Mershon and Cam Dean also had a pair of hits. For Delaware, Josearmando Diaz was 2-for-3 with a RBI.
Aidan Hunter (4-2) picked up the win for the Cougars in relief of starter Connor Campbell, who held Delaware to two runs (one earned) over 6.1 innings. William Privette blanked the Blue Hens over the final 2.0 frames to record his 10
th save.
After Delaware had rallied to tie the game at 2-2 in the top of the seventh, Charleston responded in the bottom half. Mathis walked and moved into scoring position after Trotter Harlan beat out a bunt. With two outs, Wood came through with a base hit to right that plated Mathis and put the Cougars ahead to stay.
The Cougars tacked on a pair of insurance runs in the eighth. JT Marr lined a double down the right-field line and came home on a wild pitch. Khyree Miller later scored on a Delaware fielding error.
Charleston wasted little time in taking a 1-0 lead. Mershon opened the bottom of the first with a leadoff triple to the gap in right-center and came home on a Mathis sacrifice fly.
Unable to score after getting a runner to third base in the first two innings, Delaware broke through in the third. Dan Covino drew a one-out walk and Joey Loynd followed with a base hit. With two down, Diaz delivered a game-tying RBI single up the middle.
Charleston moved back on top in the fifth. Miller and Mershon started the frame with back-to-back singles and a third from Mathis put the Cougars ahead 2-1. Harlan’s walk loaded the bases with nobody out, but the Blue Hens escaped further damage with a rare 5-2-3 double play and a flyout.
Delaware tied the contest at 2-2 in the top of the seventh. Eric Ludman walked, advanced to second on Dan Covino’s base hit and came around to score following a Cougars’ fielding error.