MOUNT PLEASANT, S.C. (Interstat) — Carter Harrington pitched five innings of three-hit ball and the College of Charleston Cougars erupted for six runs in the third inning Thursday night, powering past the William & Mary Tribe 9-2 in a Colonial Athletic Association baseball game at CofC Baseball Stadium at Patriot’s Point.

Harrington, a right-hander who had struggled in his previous outing at Elon, allowed one earned run and struck out four while scattering three hits over 5.0 innings. He left with the Cougars in control after they turned a 2-0 deficit into a 6-2 lead with a six-run bottom of the third that included four hits, two walks and a costly error.

College of Charleston improved to 26-26 overall and 12-12 in the Colonial. William & Mary dropped to 21-30 and 8-17.

The game’s decisive moment came in the third inning after the Tribe had taken a 2-0 lead in the top of the first on a pop-up that fell for a hit, though no runs scored in that frame. The Cougars sent 11 batters to the plate in the bottom of the third. Landon Penfield started the rally with a solo home run to right field. After singles by Will Tippett, Reece Holbrook and Avery Amman loaded the bases, Dylan Johnson singled to center to tie the game at 2-2. A single by LaCoste and a sacrifice fly by Ethan Plyler pushed the lead to 4-2, and a fielding error by Tribe center fielder Ecker on a ball off the bat of Diaz allowed two more runs to score, making it 5-2. Penfield then grounded out to first to plate another run, and the Cougars led 6-2 after three complete.

William & Mary starter Jack Weight took the loss, allowing six runs — three earned — on four hits over 5.1 innings. He struck out four. The Cougars finished with 13 hits to the Tribe’s five.

The Tribe got one run back in the fifth when Ben Greco tripled to left center and scored on a wild pitch, trimming the deficit to 6-3. But College of Charleston answered with three more runs in the eighth. Tippett doubled and Holbrook doubled him home, and after a pair of stolen bases, Plyler singled through the right side to drive in two more, making it 9-2.

Alex Lyon threw 3.2 innings of relief for the Cougars, allowing one earned run on two hits while striking out one. Davis Aiken recorded the final out of the ninth. For William & Mary, Charles Seneker pitched a third of an inning in the eighth.

Penfield finished 1 for 4 with a homer and two RBIs. Johnson was 2 for 3 with a double, a walk, a hit-by-pitch and an RBI. Holbrook went 2 for 4 with a double and an RBI. Tippett was 2 for 3 with a double and a walk. Plyler drove in three runs with a sacrifice fly and a single.

The Tribe managed only five hits, with Cole Scafidi going 2 for 4 with an RBI double in the eighth. The Cougars outhit William & Mary 13-5 and benefited from two Tribe errors.

The series continues with games Friday and Saturday. Interstat’s game simulator had projected a final score of College of Charleston 6, William & Mary 5, and the Interstat ELO system gave the Cougars a 71.90 percent probability to win Thursday’s contest.