STATESBORO - The Georgia Southern baseball team dropped a 8-6 decision to the College of Charleston Cougars on Tuesday night at J.I. Clements Stadium.

Georgia Southern (9-11) threw the first punch in the bottom of the first inning when a sacrifice fly from Jarrett Brown scored Josh Tate, giving the Eagles an early 1-0 lead.

The Cougars (13-6) responded in the three following innings, first with an Luke Wood two-run homer in the top of the second inning, scoring Kevin Madden as well. Cole Singsank knocked a solo jack in the top of the third inning to make the score 3-1, then Dylan Johnson stretched the lead to 4-1 in the top of the fourth inning with an RBI-single, scoring Avery Neaves.

Madden added to the lead in the top of the seventh inning with an RBI-single, scoring Cole Mathis, setting the Eagles up with a four run deficit at 5-1. CofC pitcher Alex Lyon balked to score Jonathan Jaime to get one run back, and a Rhett Hammontree RBI-groundout scored Daniel Haab to cut the lead to 5-3.

The top of the eighth inning saw the Cougars score two more runs with RBI-doubles from Will Baumhofer and Mathis to take a 7-3 lead. JD Kaiser hit a pinch hit home run in the bottom of the eighth inning to cut the lead to one run at 7-6, scoring Kent Schmidt and Sam Blancato.

The Cougars added an insurance run at the top of the ninth inning from a Johnson sac fly. The Eagles were unable to finish the comeback in the home half of the ninth inning, falling 8-6.

Jacob Phillips was tagged with the loss after giving up the go-ahead homer in the top of the second inning, with the Cougars never looking back from there. Daniel Brooks took his first win of the season and Davis Aiken took his fourth save of the season.

UP NEXT
Georgia Southern returns to Sun Belt Conference play, hosting the Southern Miss Golden Eagles for the first time in program history. Action begins Friday night at 6:30 p.m.