By: CofC Sports Media
McLendon Sears (Sumter, S.C.) scampered home on a Luke Manzo (Marietta, Ga.) and a wild throw at third as College of Charleston celebrated Senior Day with a walk-off 10-9 win and a series sweep of Towson on Sunday.
With the victory, College of Charleston (32-19, 13-8 CAA) completes its 18th comeback win and third walk-off of the season. The Cougars stay two and one-half games clear of James Madison and UNCW for second in the CAA standings. Charleston bounced back from a deficit twice in the final two innings; the Cougars answered a three-run eighth for Towson with two in the home half, and scored two in the last of the ninth after the Tigers took a 9-8 lead in the top of the inning.
Freshman Tanner Steffy (Chapin, S.C.) set the stage for the walk-off with a game-tying RBI double in the ninth that scored Chris Graham (Leland, N.C.)from first. Sears advanced to third on Manzo’s sacrifice bunt two batters later and scored the winning run when the throw to third sailed wide.
The Cougars held their annual Senior Day ceremony after the game and College of Charleston President Stephen C. Osborne ’73 presented each of CofC’s 11seniors with their diplomas during the festivities. Dupree Hart (Rock Hill, S.C.), Nathan Ocker (Middletown, Pa.), Logan McRae (Florence, S.C.), Manzo, Danny Wondrack (Wall, N.J.), Bradley Dixon (Greenwood, S.C.), Clay Hunt (Fort Mill, S.C.), Joey Mundy (Huntington, W.Va.), Chaz Davey (North Augusta, S.C.), Seth Wall (Georgetown, S.C.), and Noah Hinzman (Greenwood, S.C.) were each honored for their accomplishments and contributions to the program.
Hart reached base five times in a 2-for-2 effort, driving in two with a single and drawing three walks to become the program’s all-time leader with 128career free passes. Davey had a two-run triple in the first and Wondrack erased an 8-6 deficit with a two-run single in the eighth. Mundy went 4-for-4 with a double and two RBI’s as Dixon reached twice and scored twice.
Freshman Trey Fields (Kingsport, Tenn.) recorded the final out of the ninth to earn his first collegiate win as he and Brooks Lucas (Greenville, S.C.)combined to hold Towson to one in the frame. Kris Kuhn (Summerville, S.C.) struck out four over two innings in relief of starter Zach Williams (Marietta, Ga.). Blake Robinson (Florence, S.C.) recorded a key out to close out the fifth.
Noah Cabrera drove in four of Towson’s runs in a 2-for-3 effort and Richard Miller delivered a two-run double to give the Tigers a 7-6 lead in the eighth. Javon Fields reached three times and scored three runs as Zach Piazza went 2-for-3 with two walks and two runs scored. Austin Weber took the loss for the Tigers after allowing two runs – one earned – on three hits in one-third of an inning.
Charleston returns to the diamond on Tuesday when the Cougars host The Citadel at 6:00 p.m. at Patriots Point.
