Cougars Offense Overpowers Buccaneers, 12-4

CHARLESTON, S.C. – Junior third baseman Mark Perry led things off with a home run and freshman centerfielder Tom Burkett added a three-run shot, but it wasn’t enough for the CSU baseball team. The College of Charleston offense played small ball early and added home runs late in a 12-4 victory over the Buccaneers on Wednesday.

Junior starting pitcher Brandon Roberts (0-3) picked up the loss for the Bucs, giving up nine runs, eight of which were earned. In 4.1 innings of work, he allowed five hits, walked four batters and struck out three Cougars. For the College of Charleston (8-2), Clay Caulfield improved to 2-0 on the season with two runs allowed on eight hits and one walk with five strikeouts in 5.2 innings.

CSU (2-7) put together 12 hits and drew four walks on the day but was unable to capitalize, leaving 11 runners on base as a team. Freshman leftfielder Steve Antolik accounted for three of the Buccaneer hits, improving his team-leading batting average to .458 on the season.

Perry put CSU on the board in the top of the first inning, taking a pitch down the left field line and over the wall for a lead-off homerun. Charleston responded in the bottom half of the inning by taking advantage of free passes and a sacrifice bunt, tying things up when Clay McCord scooted home from third on a groundout to the second baseman.

After the Bucs left two runners on base, Charleston scored three runs on just one hit in the bottom half of the second inning to go ahead 4-1. Jeremie Tice led things off by taking one for the team, drawing a free pass to first base after getting hit by a pitch. Two batters  and two walks later, the bases were loaded for the Cougars with no outs.

CSU cut off the lead runner with a fielder’s choice, but a wild pitch allowed Stuart Haywood to score from third and still left the Cougars with two runners in scoring position. McCord drew his second consecutive walk, loading the bases for Charleston once again. Rightfielder Gabe Marchant seized the opportunity, singling through the right side to bring two runners home and extend the Cougars lead.

Charleston added two more runs in the bottom of the third inning when an Austin Morgan single made it 6-1 in favor of the home team. Although the Bucs kept their foes off the board in the fourth inning, they were still unable to produce any offense or cut away at the deficit.

A hit batter and a CSU error gave Charleston runners on second and third with one out when Mike Hentz stepped to the plate in the bottom of the fifth inning. With one swing he gave the Cougars an eight-run lead, sending a shot over the wall in left center to make it 9-1.

In the top half of the sixth inning, the Bucs began to chip away at the margin with a two-out rally. Junior shortstop Cory Trudell got things started with a double to left field and junior catcher Jake Cox gave CSU two men on with one of his three walks of the game. Burkett then stepped into the batter’s box and cut the deficit to five run with a three-run homer to left field that made it 9-4. But that was as close as the Bucs could get as the Cougars pitching staff held firm over the final three innings.

CSU will begin a three-game series with Maryland-Eastern Shore at 1 p.m. on Friday at Buccaneer Field.