MOUNT PLEASANT, S.C. (Interstat) — The College of Charleston Cougars defeated the William & Mary Tribe 8-5 on Friday night at CofC Baseball Stadium at Patriot’s Point in a Colonial Athletic Association game, taking a decisive lead with a two-run sixth inning after a back-and-forth battle.

The Tribe struck first in the top of the third inning. With one out, shortstop Jamie Laskofski launched a two-run homer to center field, scoring first baseman Henry Summers from first base to give William & Mary a 2-0 lead. The Cougars answered quickly in the bottom of the inning. Designated hitter Braeden Smith delivered a two-run single through the left side, plating runners from first and third to tie the game 2-2.

Laskofski struck again in the top of the fifth, hitting a solo home run to left field to cut the deficit to 5-3 after the Cougars had taken a three-run lead. Shortstop Will Tippett had put College of Charleston ahead in the bottom of the fourth with a three-run homer to left field, scoring Smith and second baseman Jose Diaz after an error extended the inning. The Cougars led 5-2 after that blast.

William & Mary continued to rally in the top of the fifth. Following Laskofski’s second homer, right fielder Sam Kaczmarez singled up the middle, and catcher Matt Bartletti singled to advance him to third. Third baseman Jake Scafidi then singled to shallow center, scoring Kaczmarez and moving Bartletti to third, making the score 5-4. But the Cougars turned a double play on a fielder’s choice to end the inning.

The decisive moment came in the bottom of the sixth. With one out, Diaz doubled to left field. Third baseman Landon Penfield followed with an RBI double to right center, scoring Diaz to put the Cougars up 6-4. Penfield advanced to third on a wild pitch, and Tippett lifted a sacrifice fly to center field, scoring Penfield for a 7-4 lead. That two-run outburst gave College of Charleston a cushion it would not relinquish.

The Cougars added an insurance run in the bottom of the seventh. Center fielder Cole Amman singled, stole second and third, and scored on a wild pitch to make it 8-4. William & Mary got one back in the top of the ninth when Kaczmarez tripled and scored on a Bartletti single, but reliever Parker Sweeney closed out the win.

Laskofski finished with two home runs and three RBIs. Tippett had a home run, three RBIs and a sacrifice fly. Penfield doubled and drove in a run. For William & Mary, right-hander Noah Hertzler took over in the seventh but the damage had already been done. Zack Potts started for the Tribe and allowed seven runs, five earned, over 6 ⅓ innings. For the Cougars, starter Kurt Rogers gave up four runs over four innings before giving way to Kaden Myers, who allowed one run in two innings. Sweeney earned the win with 2 ⅓ scoreless innings.

The Cougars improved to 27-26 overall and 14-13 in the Colonial, while the Tribe fell to 21-31 and 11-16. The victory evened the three-game series at one game apiece, with the rubber match scheduled for Saturday.

Interstat’s game simulator had projected a final score of College of Charleston 5, William & Mary 4, and its ELO system gave the Cougars a 72.30 percent probability to win.