Box Score

CHARLESTON, S.C. -- An eighth-inning error allowed the winning run to come home as the College of Charleston Cougars eliminated the Elon Phoenix from the 2011 Southern Conference Baseball Tournament by a 4-3 margin on Thursday.

The Cougars (37-21) turned a lead-off hit batter into a run in the bottom of the first.  Marty Gantt was hit with an 0-2 pitch before stealing second.  With one out, Matt Leeds doubled past a diving Seth Canipe at third to plate Gantt.

Elon (36-21) began the second with back-to-back singles from Alex Swim and Ryan Kinsella before Grant McCoury's rope was snared by the second baseman who fired to second to double off Swim.  The Phoenix failed to score as Canipe was retired on a ground ball to third.

Harry Austin reached on a Cougar error to start the third and moved to second on a sacrifice bunt.  A two-out single from Sebastian Gomez to left tied the game up at one as Austin raced home.

Leeds reached on an infield single to start the CofC fourth and went to third on a one-out single from Jose Rodriguez.  Cole Rakar gave the Cougars the lead back when his sacrifice fly to center scored Leeds.

With two down in the top of the fifth, Elon had runners on first and second when Jake Luce's grounder to first hopped up over the first baseman and down the right field line for a two-run double as both Austin and Niko Fraser scored to make it a 3-2 game in favor of the Phoenix.

After the first two hitters of the seventh were set down, Gantt knotted the score at three by belting a 1-1 pitch over the left field wall for his sixth homer of the year.

In the last of the eighth, Rakar singled through the right side before he went to third on Rob Harding's single to right.  On the play, the throw to third sailed into the seats, allowing Rakar to score the go-ahead run.

John Brebbia (7-1) suffered the first loss of his career after he allowed one unearned run on two hits in one inning.  Phoenix starter Dylan Clark gave up three runs on six hits in seven frames.  Clark struck out five and walked two.

CofC's Kyle Owings (1-3) won after hurling two scoreless innings in relief of David Peterson.  Peterson was charged with three runs on eight hits in seven innings.

Both teams recorded eight hits.  Elon's Swim went 2-for-4 while Leeds was 2-for-3 for the Cougars.