Singsank's Walk-Off Single Caps Charleston Rally Over Hofstra
Rob Washburn
Box Score
WILMINGTON, N.C. (May 23, 2024) – Cole Singsank’s RBI single with two outs in the ninth lifted top-seeded Charleston to an 8-7 walk-off victory over #6 Hofstra on Thursday afternoon in the CAA Baseball Championship at UNCW’s Brooks Field.
The Cougars (40-12), who reached the 40-win mark for the first time since 2014, advance to face the winner of tonight’s final game between Delaware and UNCW at 7 p.m. on Friday. Hofstra (24-32) will meet #5 William & Mary in an elimination game at 11 a.m. on Friday.
Charleston trailed 7-1 before tying the game with a six-run seventh inning. The Cougars opened the frame with three straight singles before Avery Neaves blasted a three-run homer to right-center to trim the deficit to 7-5. Charleston added another run on a Singank single and an error before tying the contest on a Trotter Harlan sacrifice fly.
In the bottom of the ninth, Charleston’s Cole Mathis drew a two-out walk and stole second. Singsank followed with a base hit through the left side of the infield and a sliding Mathis beat the throw to the plate with the winning run.
Hayden Thomas (4-1) earned the victory for Charleston after retiring all six batters he faced, which included three strikeouts.
Hofstra jumped out to a 1-0 advantage in the first. Leadoff hitter Dylan Palmer opened the game with a base hit and came around to score on a two-out single by Santino Rosso.
The Pride broke the game open with a four-run fifth inning. Michael Florides started the frame with a single, was sacrificed to second and scored via a Will Kennedy base hit and a fielding error. An Alex McCoy single and stolen base put two Hofstra runners in scoring position and Steve Harrington plated them both with a base hit up the middle. A two-out RBI single by Penn Sealey increased the Pride lead to 5-0.
Hofstra starting pitcher Carlos Martinez was dominant through the first five innings, holding the Cougars scoreless. However, Charleston was finally able to get to Martinez in the sixth as Mathis’ double down the left-field line brought home Will Baumhofer. However, Hofstra pushed its lead to 7-1 in the top of the seventh when Sealey came up big again with a two-run double to left.
Singsank finished 3-for-5, while Mathis and Tyler Sorrentino each had a pair of hits for Charleston. For Hofstra, Kennedy was 3-for-5, while Palmer, Harrington, Sealey and Florides added two hits apiece.