College of Charleston right-handed junior pitcher Taylor Clarke has been named a Louisville Slugger National Player of the Week after striking out a College of Charleston record 18 batters in Cougar’s 3-1 victory over Radford on Saturday.
In addition to fanning 18 (snapping the previous College record of 15 set in the 1995 season), Clark tossed his first career nine-inning complete game, limiting the Highlanders to one run on five hits without issuing a walk. He threw 115 pitches, 85 of which were strikes, and retired 12 straight hitters from the fourth to the eighth innings. Clarke struck out at least two batters in all but two innings, and struck out the side on three occasions.
In addition to breaking the College of Charleston single-game record for strikeouts as an individual, Clarke single handedly broke the single-game record for strikeouts as a team. The previous program record for single-game strikeouts was 17, which College of Charleston split-staffs had twice achieved, most recently in 2010.
