Bucs Blow Past Reinhardt in 15-8 Victory

CHARLESTON, S.C. – Matching its best offensive inning of the season, the CSU baseball team cruised to a 15-8 victory over the visiting Reinhardt College Eagles on Tuesday. The first four hitters in the Buccaneers’ lineup went 9-for-20 at the plate and combined for 11 runs batted in. Sparking the offense was the leadoff man, junior Mark Perry, who went 2-for-4 with a pair of walks and three RBI.

Freshman Jesse Cadenhead earned his first career victory on the mound for CSU (13-21), setting a career high with six strikeouts against the Eagles. He went 6.2 innings, giving up five runs (four earned) on seven hits and two walks. His 4.50 earned run average in 18 innings of work ranks third on the squad. Jonathon Byers was given the loss for Reinhardt (27-24), his first of the season.

The Eagles took the early lead, getting two runs in the top of the first inning. With runners on second and third, Daniel Jape brought the first runner home with a groundout and Michael Willis extended the advantage to 2-0 on a single to left center that scored James Greer.

Reinhardt added two more runs in the top of second, extending its lead to four. After singling to lead off the inning, Mitch Pittman stole second one out later, putting him in position to score on a single by Chad Hiddleson. With the bases loaded, Greg Ihlenberg’s sacrifice fly brought Hiddleson home and gave the Eagles a 4-0 advantage, but Cadenhead got the next batter to groundout to end the threat.

The Buccaneer offense erupted in the bottom of the third inning, scoring six runs to match its most productive inning of the season. Freshman Tyler Thornburg started the onslaught when he reached on a Reinhardt error. A walk by junior Jake Cox and a fielder’s choice where the Eagles failed to get the lead runner loaded the bases for Perry. He drew a free pass to first on a walk, forcing Thornburg in from third and putting CSU on the board.

With the bases still juiced, junior Kory Morian’s single scored Cox and kept a Buccaneer on every base. Freshman Steve Antolik then tied the game with a double down the left field line that brought freshman Taylor Black and Perry around to score. Morian then scored on a wild pitch and a single by freshman Derek Smith brought Antolik home to give CSU a 6-4 lead.

The Bucs continued to build their advantage, scoring at least one run over the next five innings. Antolik picked up another one of his three RBI on the day with a single that scored Perry, and Smith brought Morian home on a groundout to put two more on the board for the home team in the bottom of the fourth.

Reinhardt pulled within three in the top of the fifth when Jape scored on a wild pitch to make it 8-5, but CSU got the run back and added another in the bottom half of the inning. Thornburg led off with a double and scored on an Eagles’ error when Cox singled to left field. Morian hit the Bucs’ second double of the inning three batters later, bringing Cox in and putting the home team in front 10-5.

In the bottom of the sixth, Cox picked up two RBI with a single to left field that brought redshirt-freshman Nick Chinners and freshman Tom Burkett in to score. Smith added another run to the Bucs’ total in the next inning, singling through the left side to bring Perry home and give CSU a 13-5 advantage. Perry was on the other end of a scoring play in the bottom of the ninth, driving Thornburg and junior Michael Obuchowski home with a single to right field to put the Bucs ahead by double digits.

Reinhardt cut in to the margin with three runs in the top of the ninth inning, but freshman Stew Brase got the final Eagles’ batter to pop out to seal the victory for the home team.

CSU will be in action on Wednesday against the College of Charleston, playing more than just its regularly-scheduled contest. The Bucs and Cougars will finish their April 1 game that was suspended due to lightning at 1 p.m. before playing a full game that is tentatively slated for 2:30 p.m.