Bucs drop Second to Marist

CHARLESTON, SC-  The Buccaneers struggled against the Red Foxes of Marist in their second the three game series this afternoon at Buccaneer Ballpark.  The Red Foxes took their second victory over CSU by a final score of 18-7, dropping the Bucs to 0-2 on the season, and moving Marist 2-0 in start their season. 

The Buccaneers were the first score in the bottom of the first, but Marist would record three innings of 5 runs each, to put them on top by big numbers.  The Bucs first run came in the bottom of the first from first basemen Nick Chinners after gaining a walk at bat.  Freshman third basemen Patrick Dolan hit a double to center field to help drive Chinners home, putting the Bucs on the board first and holding that lead until the top of the third when Marist tied it at one run a piece.

Marist’s run in the top if the third was answered by a run from the Bucs at the bottom of the inning on a walk-off home run from senior short stop Mark Perry.  Perry’s homer put the Bucs back up by one, and the Red Foxes were unable to capitalize in the fourth, with two strikeouts swinging and an out on steal attempt, keeping the Bucs in the lead by one.  The Bucs would gain another run in the bottom of the fourth after senior catcher Jake Cox singled to drive in freshman third basemen Patrick Dolan, who had four hits on four at-bats, for his second run of the game.

Dolan’s run put the Bucs up 3-1, but the lead would be short lived as the Red Foxes scored five runs in the top of the fifth inning.  Four of the five runs came on a 3 run homer from the Foxes’ Bryce Nugent, who had five hits on five at-bats.  The Bucs would add another two runs to their tally in the bottom of the fifth with two outs on the board.  Senior outfielder Keith Hustedt would score on an single from fellow senior Kory Morian, while Morian would make the second run of the inning on an RBI from Dolan to bring the Bucs back with in one, 5-6.

The Red Foxes would gain a larger lead in the sixth as they drove in two more runs.  Freshman Cory Deighan made his collegiate pitching debut, striking out the first batters he faced.  The Bucs would miss adding to their runs in the bottom of the sixth, to give the Red Foxes the advantage 8-5.  Marist would have another five run inning in the seventh and eight innings, with the Bucs able to add only two in the bottom of the seventh.  Chinners would record his second run of the game on single from sophomore Tyler Thornburg.  Dolan would bring in his second run of the game after stealing third in a double steal play.  The Bucs would fail to score any more runs leaving the game final at 18-7.

The Bucs’ Nick Chinners and Patrick Dolan each scored two runs, while the Red Foxes’ Jon Schwind, Brian McDonough, and Bryce Nugent each brought in three runs for Marist.  The two teams will meet again tomorrow in their third and final game of the series where the Bucs will try to avoid a sweep.  The game, originally scheduled foe 1:30 p.m. at Collins Park, has been moved to 2 p.m. and will be held at Buccaneer Ballpark on the CSU campus.