Bucs Hold-off Marist, Win 4-3

CHARLESTON, SC-  The Buccaneers won their game against Marist College on Sunday afternoon by a final score of 4-3.  The win helped the Bucs avoid a sweep by the Red Foxes who took wins in the first two games of the series, bringing the Bucs to 1-2 on the season and the Red Foxes to 2-1 to start their season.

The Red Foxes would be the first to put runs on the board with two in the top of the second.  An RBI from the Red Foxes’ Kenny Anderson would drive in Ricky Pacione and Michael Gallic would double on the next play to bring in Anderson, giving Marist the two run advantage.  Marist would put up one more run in the top of the fourth to give them a 3-0 lead, and the Bucs would not answer until the bottom of the sixth.

In the bottom of the sixth, the Bucs would start things off with a single from senior second basemen Kory Morian, who advanced to second on a walk for senior first basemen Nick Chinners.  The Red Foxes would make a pitching change and bring in Kyle Putnam, but the Bucs would use the new pitcher to their advantage as Morian and Chinners each advanced on a wild pitch from Putnam, putting both in scoring position.  Patrick Dolan hit a single, bringing in Morian from third and advancing Chinners.  Sophomore pitcher Tyler Thornburg stepped to the plate knocking out a double to bring in both Moian and Dolan to tie the game at three runs a piece.  The Bucs’ fourth run would come in the bottom of the eighth inning after a double from Chinners, who scored in the following play on a single from Dolan, giving Chinners his second game in row with two runs.

The Red Foxes would be unable to answer the Buccaneer rally as the Bucs held off despite a wild pitch in the seventh that left two Foxes’ in scoring position.  Thornburg held the two Marist runners on base striking out McDonough looking.  The Bucs again held off Marist in the eighth after walking two and striking out two.  The Foxes’ Nugent reached base on the first walk and was left in scoring position after the second walk to Prano, but Prano was caught in the cross on a fielder’s choice from shortstop Mark Perry that ended the inning.  Marist was unable to make any moves in the top of the ninth, leaving a man on third, to end the game by a final of 4-3.

The Buccaneers will be back in action at Buccaneer Ballpark on Tuesday, February 24 at 2 p.m. for the first of a two game series with Chicago State.