COFC ADVANCES TO CAA TITLE GAME WITH 3-1 WIN OVER W&M
Rob Washburn
Boxscore | Highlights
WILMINGTON, N.C. (May 23, 2014) – Freshman right-hander Bailey Ober threw a complete-game, five-hitter as second-seeded College of Charleston advanced to the title game of the CAA Baseball Championship with a 3-1 triumph over #1 William & Mary on Friday afternoon at Brooks Field.
The Cougars (40-17) will play for the CAA championship at 1 p.m. on Saturday, while the Tribe (33-21) returns to action at 7 p.m. tonight in an elimination game against either #3 UNCW or #4 Delaware.
Ober, the CAA Rookie of the Year and a first-team all-conference honoree, needed only 95 pitches to post his second complete game of the year. He retired W&M, one of the nation’s top offensive teams, in order five times and registered four strikeouts with no walks. Ober improved to 9-2 with the victory and lowered his league-leading ERA to 1.37.
CofC jumped out to a 1-0 lead in the top of the second when freshman first baseman Nick Pappas led off the frame with a line drive over the wall in right for his fourth homer of the year.
The Cougars tacked on another run in the third. Shortstop Champ Rowland doubled to left to open the inning. Blake Butler followed with an RBI single to right center that brought Rowland home.
CofC used the long ball once again to increase its advantage to 3-0 in the fifth. Left fielder Brandon Murray, who was playing in just his fifth game after missing six weeks with a broken forearm, smacked an opposite field homer to left center. The homer was his sixth of the year.
William & Mary, which didn’t get its first hit until the fourth inning, finally got on the scoreboard in the sixth. Sophomore outfielder Josh Smith, who smacked a grand slam in Thursday’s win over Delaware, led off the frame with a solo shot to left to make it 3-1. However, the Tribe would only manage three singles off Ober over the final four innings and none reached second base.
Rowland and Brandon Glazer each went 2-for-4 to pace CofC offensively. No Tribe player had more than one hit in the contest.
Senior John Sheehan (5-6) took the loss for W&M after giving up three runs on seven hits over six innings. Joseph Gaouette threw three shutout innings out of the Tribe bullpen.