MT. PLEASANT, S.C. - College of Charleston earned its fourth shutout of the season with a 6-0 win over Davidson to garner a series sweep over the Wildcats. It marked the third straight SoCon series sweep for the Cougars and fourth sweep of the season.
College of Charleston (18-6, 10-2) scored runs in the first inning for the third straight time over Davidson (8-13, 2-7), while the Cougar pitching staff continued to build on its league-leading ERA of 2.28.
Matt Pegler (5-0) earned his fifth win of the season and lowered his season ERA to 1.69. He pitched 7.0 IP and scattered five hits while striking out three batters with no walks. Dre Watts and Kyle Owings pitched the eighth and ninth innings to shut the door on the Wildcats.
Senior Marty Gantt continued his stellar season with a two-run homer and two stolen bases, while Brandon Murray went 2-for-2 with two RBIs and three walks. Bradley Goodson tallied two hits and Jimmy Holton hit his first career triple.
Davidson's Danny Mooney (1-1) earned the loss for the Wildcats, giving up four earned runs and seven hits in 4.1 IP.
The Cougars put together consecutive hits to lead off the first inning for the third time this weekend. With two outs and runners on the corners, Murray singled through the right side to score Jackson. Rob Harding continued his propensity for two-out RBIs with a single to right center to score Dre Watts and make the score 2-0.
CofC plated a run in the second inning after a triple from Holton landed fair in deep right field. Goodson grounded out to the right side to score Holton and bring the score to 3-0.
Davidson loaded the bases in the fifth inning with none out, but Pegler induced infield popouts from Chris Dyer and Jake Berman and then Gunnar Heidt made an outstanding diving catch on a blooper to short center field to keep the Wildcats off the board.
College of Charleston earned another run in the bottom half of the fifth inning with some small ball. Beginning with a leadoff walk and steal from Gantt, the Cougars then advanced him with a groundout to the right side and he scored on a single from Murray.
Gantt then launched a two-run home run in the bottom of the sixth inning to give the Cougars all the cushion they could need, 6-0. The homer was the second in two days, and the fifth for Gantt this season.
The Cougars turned two double plays in the game, bringing the total to five for the weekend series. CofC was very efficient on the weekend, walking just four batters and striking out 26, while also earning 19 walks themselves.
College of Charleston will next host Charleston Southern in a midweek game on Tuesday, March 27 at 6 p.m.
