Strong Pitching Helps Bucs Earn Split in Doubleheader with Ohio

CHARLESTON, S.C. – Solid outings from junior pitchers Brandon Roberts and Andrew White helped the Buccaneers earn a split with Ohio in a CSU baseball doubleheader on Sunday. Both starters struck out seven batters as the Buccaneers lost to Ohio, 6-2, in game one and defeated the Bobcats, 7-1, in the second contest.

Roberts (0-1) started the first game of the doubleheader for CSU (0-1), striking out seven batters in six innings against an opportunistic Ohio (2-1) offense. He allowed seven hits and gave up six runs in the outing.

In the second game, White (1-0) went 7.1 innings with seven strikeouts to help the Buccaneers earn their first win of the 2008 season. He allowed three hits and issued one walk, teaming with senior closer Payton Tweddale (S, 1) on a four-hit, one-run outing. Tweddale had three strikeouts in 1.2 innings.

CSU got on the board first in game one, manufacturing a run in the bottom of the opening inning. Freshman outfielder Tom Burkett got things started with a leadoff walk, advancing to second on a sacrifice bunt by freshman second baseman Taylor Black. Burkett then stole third, allowing him to score easily on single by redshirt-freshman Nick Chinners two batters later.

The Bobcats quickly tied the game up in the top of the second inning when a double by Jerod Yakubik brought Robert Maddox home from second. Ohio went ahead 2-1 with another run in the top of the third on a groundout that allowed Zach Hartle to score from third.

After exploding for nine runs on Saturday, the visiting Bobcats’ offense awoke once again in the fifth inning of game one, scoring three runs with two outs to open up a 5-2 advantage. Another run in the top of sixth put Ohio ahead by five, where the margin remained until sophomore Will Rodriguez belted a shot over the wall in left field in the bottom of the ninth to make it 6-2. But that was where the rally ended for the Bucs after a fouled pop fly was corralled by the Bobcats to end game one.

CSU scored first in game two, as well, when freshman outfielder Tyler Thornburg brought in Black from second with a single to center field to put the home team up, 1-0. Ohio knotted the score up at 1-1 in the top half of the second inning by taking advantage of a passed ball. Maddox drew a one-out walk and then advanced to second on the past ball before scoring on a single by Trace Voshell.

The Buccaneers regained the lead in the bottom of the third inning when a Rodriguez single brought Thornburg home from second. It remained a close game over the next three innings, with White holding the Bobcats to five hitless innings on the day.

CSU extended the lead to two when an Ohio throwing error allowed junior Mark Perry to score in the sixth inning, but the real damage was done in the bottom of the eighth when the Buccaneers batted through the lineup while scoring four runs. Junior outfielder Keith Hustedt, Black and Chinners all had RBI hits in the innings as CSU pushed its advantage to the final margin, 7-1.

The Buccaneers will take on NAIA foe Reinhardt at 2 p.m. on Tuesday at Buccaneer Field.

Box Score (Game One)

Box Score (Game Two)