Baseball Opens Conference play, Hosts UNCA

The Bucs host the Bulldogs of UNC Asheville to open their 2009 conference play on Friday at 2 p.m. in the first of a three game series. The Bulldogs enter the game with a 2-7 record, and their series with CSU will also be their conference opener. The Bulldogs dropped thier most recent game to the #19 Clemson Tigers by a final score of 17-2, giving up 15 hits and 14 walks. The Bucs enter the game off a hard fought 6-4 loss to the Gamecocks of South Carolina. The loss moves the Bucs to 4-5 on the season, but not before doing damage to some of USC stats (see ‘Doing Damage’).

Complete Game Notes

Live Stats

CSU enters the series with Asheville holding the advantage 37-23. Last time out, the Bucs claimed two of the three game series at Asheville.

UNCA is batting .263 as a team on a total of 308 at-bats, while tallying 81 runs on 41 hits. The Bulldogs have had 15 hits for extra bases and a total of two homeruns, each hit by Reed Kreiser.

Kreiser also leads the team in batting average with a .353 on 34 at-bats. In addition to his two homers, he also leads the team in RBI with 8, and total bases rounding 20 so far this season. Bulldog Infielder Catlin Carter has seen more from the plate than any other Bulldog, with 38 at-bats, and has tallied a team-leading 13 hits, with one double.

The Bucs enter the game off a hard fought loss to USC, where senior Tyler Thornburg did some damage in the top of the second hitting a lead-off home run on the first pitch of the inning. The homer put the Bucs up 1-0 and caused the Gamecocks to trail an opponent for the fist time this season.

CSU is batting .275 as a team, lead by freshman thirdbasemen Patrick Dolan who is hitting .394 on 33 at-bats. Red-shirt sophomore Scotty Radabaughis close behind with .391 with 9 hits on 23 at-bats.

Doing Damage

The Bucs may have lost thier game to the Gamecocks of South Caorlina, but it was hard fought, and they didn’t leave before doing damage to USC stats. The Bucs held off the Gamcocks in the first inning leaving both teams scoreless going into the top of the second- it was the first time this season the Gamecocks have left the first inning without a run on the board. Senior Tyler Thornburg hit a lead-off homerun on the first pitch of the inning in the top of the second, giving the Bucs a 1-0 lead; it was the first time the Gamecocks have trailed an opponent this season.

HOME RUN!

The Buccaneers have hit six homers to open their season. Centerfielder Tom Burkett and DH Blake Hunt have each hit two on the season, while senior shortstop Mark Perry has bombed one. Hunt’s two homers came in the Buc’s 8-6 win over Chicago State, while Burkett added one in the same game. The three homers is the most the Bucs have had a single game this season. Senior Tyler Thornburg added to the tally at USC hitting a lead-off homer on the first pitch of the second inning. The homer caused USC to trail an opponent for the first time this season.

Hitting Streak

Senior Kory Morian currently holds the longest hitting streak for the Bucs, at six games with at least one hit. Morian’s streak ended on March 2, against Xavier, but no other Bucs has had a longer streak this season. Morian has had at least one hit in seven of the Bucs’ nine games so far this season, as has senior Tyler Thornburg, and red-shirt sophomore Scotty Radabaugh.