March 28, 2009
Box Score
MT. PLEASANT, S.C. -- Brian Harrison's three-run home run in the eighth inning broke a 7-7 tie and Furman held on to claim a 10-9 Southern Conference victory over the College of Charleston in game two of a rescheduled doubleheader Saturday afternoon at Patriots Point Stadium. The Cougars belted Furman, 18-4, in game one of the twinbill.
The split gives Furman a 10-13 overall record and 4-7 SoCon mark. The College of Charleston is now 18-5 overall and 9-2 in SoCon play. Sunday's series finale is now set for 1:00 p.m.
With the score tied 7-7 in the eighth, Harrison cranked a two-out, one strike offering from Cougar reliever Owen Brittle over the left center field fence to give Furman a 10-7 lead.
In the bottom of the eighth Hutson Dobbs and Joey Bergman delivered a pair of solo home runs off Paladin reliever Barry Benton to cut Furman's lead to 10-9. In the ninth the Cougars put the tying run on base but Paladin closer Spencer Hale struck out Cole Rakar looking to end the game.
Harrison went 2-for-5 in the contest and drove in four runs, and Justin Holloway also drove in four runs for Furman with a fifth-inning, two-out grand slam to right center field that erased a 7-3 Paladin deficit.
Benton (2-3) earned the victory after working 3 2/3 innings of relief and allowing four hits, two runs, and no walks while striking out two.
The save was the second of the season for Hale, who pitched the final 1 1/3 innings and struck out two.
The loss went to Aaron Bouronich (3-1), who came on in the second inning and allowed five runs on four hits and two walks in 5 2/3 innings of work. He exited the game after walking Furman's Campbell Lewis to lead off the eighth, and Lewis later scored the go-ahead run on Harrison's three-run shot off Brittle.
In game one Cole Rakar's three, two-run home runs punctuated a school record eight home-run performance by the College of Charleston in an easy 18-4 victory.
Rakar's roundtrippers, which came in the second, third, and fifth innings, highlighted a 19-hit Cougar attack that roughed up Paladin pitching for runs in each of the first seven innings.
Ryan Daniels' two-run blast in the first inning off Paladin starting and losing pitcher Jay Friedman (0-2) staked CofC to a 2-0 lead.
The Cougars quickly added five more in the second on the first of Rakar's two-run clouts and a three-run job to left field by Brandon Sizemore.
CofC stretched its lead to 9-0 in the the third when Rakar drilled a Marc DeDecker pitch down the left field line and out of the park for the second of his three home runs.
Leading 13-3 in the sixth the Cougars capped their power display with a four-run frame that included back-to-back home runs by Joash Brodin, Matt Mansilla, and Austin Morgan.
Jesse Simpson (5-1) cruised to the victory for the Cougars, allowing three runs on seven hits and two walks while striking out one.
