Because of next week's Southern Conference Tournament, this weekend's series will start on Thursday and extend through Saturday. Game times are scheduled for 6 p.m., 6 p.m. and 1 p.m.
The Cougars bolstered their NCAA at-large profile with a dramatic 9-8 walk-off win over Coastal Carolina on Tuesday night. With one out and the bases loaded in the bottom of the 12th inning, Daniel Aldrich dropped a single into center field to score Marty Gantt for the game-winning run.
The win was the third walk-off victory for the Cougars in 2012 and it snapped a four-game losing streak for CofC against the Chanticleers. As of Wednesday, the Cougars RPI jumped back up to 37 on WarrenNolan.com.
ON AIR
Fans can listen to Thursday night's game through free streaming audio on CofCSports.com. Friday and Saturday's games will be broadcast live on ESPN 910 AM in Charleston. Jeff McCarragher and Dennis Trapani will be calling all of the action.
SERIES NOTES
The Cougars hold a 25-18 advantage in the all-time series over the Spartans. Last season, UNCG won two of three games over the Cougars at Patriots Point.
PROBABLE STARTERS
Thursday
RHP Max Povse, UNCG, 2-5, 6.26 ERA, 54.2 IP, 26 BB, 47 K
RHP #20 Christian Powell, CofC, 8-3, 2.35 ERA, 80.1 IP, 22 BB, 66 K
Friday
LHP Dylan Hathcock, UNCG, 4-4, 3.32 ERA, 57.0 IP, 16 BB, 31 K
RHP #29 Ryan West, CofC, 4-3, 3.40 ERA, 55.2 IP, 13 BB, 48 K
Saturday
RHP Lee Gilliam, UNCG, 2-2, 4.53 ERA, 45.2 IP, 18 BB, 34 K
RHP #22 Matt Pegler, CofC, 8-2, 2.92 ERA, 74.0 IP, 19 BB, 52 K
SCOUTING THE SPARTANS
The Spartans are coming off a 7-0 loss to N.C. State on Tuesday night. Greensboro won this past weekend's series over Wofford to move into contention for the final spot for the SoCon Tournament.
UNCG has been led offensively by Kris Richards who sports a .339 average with 28 RBI. Thomas Troelstrup leads the team with 37 RBIs, while Trevor Edwards has belted a team-best 14 home runs.
Greensboro currently ranks sixth in the SoCon with a team batting average of .281, while the Spartans' team ERA of 4.85 ranks eighth.
ALDRICH NAMED SOCON PLAYER OF THE WEEK
College of Charleston's Daniel Aldrich was named the Southern Conference Player of the Week, the conference office announced on Monday.
The award marked the second time that the Preseason All-American has earned the weekly honor in the past three weeks. It is also the fifth SoCon weekly award for the Cougars this season, the most for any school in the conference.
Aldrich led the Cougars to victories over Clemson, Savannah State and a game three win over UNC Asheville as he hit .421 with two home runs, two triples and two doubles, amassing a slugging percentage of 1.053 with five RBI. On Saturday, he came just a double away from hitting for the cycle, and he hit a game-tying solo homer in Monday's win over Clemson.
COUGARS ON SPORTSCENTER TOP 10
College of Charleston baseball has begun to make it a habit of appearing on the famed SportsCenter Top 10 Plays (#SCTop10). This week, sophomore Brandon Murray made a diving catch in foul territory that nearly vaulted him over a wall. The play was selected as the number one overall top play for Wednesday, May 9.
Earlier this season, a diving stop and throw to first from Rob Harding landed at No. 8 on SportsCenter's Top 10.
GANTT EARNS NATIONAL, CONFERENCE HONORS
Senior CF Marty Gantt earned several honors two weeks ago for his outstanding play. On May 1st, Gantt was selected for the USA Baseball Golden Spikes Award Midseason Watch LIst, one of 60 players eligible for the sport's top award. The following day, the Southern Conference tabbed Gantt as its baseball player of the month for April.
Gantt led the Cougars during April with a .426 batting average as he reached base in all but one game in the month. He sported five three-hit games and tallied nine hits in a series sweep against The Citadel.
The senior tallied a team-best 16 runs and posted eight doubles to lead the team with a .656 slugging percentage. He also drew 14 walks, with four intentional, for an on-base percentage of .539, while stealing 12 bases. Gantt made several diving catches in centerfield as he recorded 40 putouts against only one error.
A native of North Augusta, S.C., Gantt is currently third in the Southern Conference with a batting average of .373. His league-best 59 runs rank 10th in the nation, while Gantt also leads the league in walks (38) and on-base percentage (.484). He is second in the conference in doubles (18) and stolen bases (25) and third in slugging percentage (.632).
ALDRICH FINDING HIS GROOVE
After starting the season with non-typical production, preseason All-American Daniel Aldrich has turned it around since hitting two doubles from the seven spot in a win over Appalachian State in the series finale. Aldrich has hit .402 in the last 20 games with seven home runs, four triples and 22 RBI for a slugging percentage of .866. He was named the SoCon Player of the Week twice, and hit a walk-off RBI single to defeat Coastal Carolina on May 15.
NEW ERA
College of Charleston starter Christian Powell has proved to nearly unhittable this season, as he sports a league-best 2.35 ERA. Powell has boasted three starting performances where he has not allowed an earned run and has one partial shutout this season. His eight wins are tied for third in the SoCon.
Powell was recently named to the National Pitcher of the Year Watch List, the only representative of the SoCon on the 51-player list.
CLOSING THE DOOR
College of Charleston senior David Peterson has embraced his new role of closer in 2012 and has provided several stellar outings recently to save games for the Cougars, including a two-inning performance at South Carolina.
Peterson is currently in second place in the conference in saves with 10, putting him 30th in the NCAA. That mark also ranks sixth for most in a season in CofC history.
Peterson was named to the NCBWA Stopper of the Year Preseason Watch List along with 44 other relievers.
WHAT'S HAPPENED BY THE 4TH INNING?
CofC games this season have largely been determined by the action in the first four innings. The Cougars are an impressive 28-2 when leading after the fourth inning and are 3-14 when trailing after the fourth inning. The Cougars do not easily give up leads as they are 25-6 on the season when scoring first.
