Bucs Take Victory on Grandslam in Extra Innings

Senior Keith Hustdt hit a walk-off grandslam to push the Bucs to a 9-5 victory over Virginia Military Friday afternoon

CHARLESTON, SC-  The Buccaneers (11-14, 6-3) won their first game of a three game series against conference rival Virginia Military (10-13, 4-2) 9-5 in ten innings.  The Bucs would never lead the game, coming only as close as tie, until senior Keith Hustedt got his first hit of the game a walk-off grandslam on a 2-2 count with two outs in the bottom of the tenth inning to push the Bucs past their 5-5 tie with the Keydets for a 9-5 victory.

 The victory puts an end to a 7-0 series run the Keydets held over the Buccaneers dating back to 2006.

 The Bucs outhit the Keydets 14-9 and went errorless as VMI fumbled on two occasions.

 After a shaky first inning, Buc opener Anthony Markham, recovered to pitch one of his best showings this season, and the longest appearance of any CSU pitcher so far this season at 8.0 innings.  It was closer Tyler Thornburg (4-2) however, who would record the win for the Bucs in 2.0 innings of work, striking out two and allowing only one hit.  The Keydets’ closer Matt Edwards (2-1) would tally his first loss of the season from mound giving up the grandslam to Hustedt and two others in 2.1 innings of work.

 The Bucs hit two home runs, with Nick Chinners hitting the cycle with a triple, a double, a home run and a single.  Chinners completed his cycle laying down a bunt in no-man’s land in the bottom of the tenth inning to reach first and load the bases, helping set up the grandslam for Hustedt.  Chinners’ hitting led the team as he went four for five from the plate on the afternoon.

 The Bucs have now hit at least two homers in the last five of six games, hitting four in their completion game against Air Force on Thursday afternoon, three in their contest against the Citadel on Wednesday and, two in each of their last two games at Gardner-Webb last week.

 The Keydets would take advantage of back-to-back walks issued by Markham in the first ultimately scoring three runs in the top of the inning.  They would retain their lead, but be held to their three until the sixth.  The Bucs would work in the first and second to add two runs cutting the Keydets’ lead to one run.  Tom Burkett would reach on single, and be driven home on the RBI triple that started Chinners hot-hitting performance.  The Bucs would add another in the second on a sacrifice fly from short stop Mark Perry driving home senior Jake Cox from third after starting the Bucs off with a double.

 The first tie of the game came in the bottom of the fourth on double from lead-off batter Scotty Radabaugh to cross Perry for the 3-3 tie.  But the Keydets would regain control in the top of the sixth on a single and then again on a wild pitch for the 5-3 advantage. 

 The Bucs however, were determined not to lose their fourth straight, and dropped back-to-back solo homers to tie the game back up at 5 runs apiece.  Chinners hit his homer of the cycle  as the second  batter, his third of the season, followed by Thornburg, also his third of the season. 

 The Bucs would make defensive changes going into the ninth moving Thornburg to pitch and bringing in Hustedt from the dugout to right field.  The Bucs ended the ninth on a ground out double play to take their turn at bat and worked hard to take advantage of two Keydet errors, but failed to capitalized, leaving Peery on third to end the inning, sending it into extra innings. 

 Thornburg put a quick end to VMI’s time at the plate in the tenth going three for four, leaving one man in scoring position.  The bottom of the tenth would be the turnaround for the Bucs as Dolan started things off  for CSU with a single.  Chinners would follow with a bunt that landed in no-man’s land to complete his hitting cycle and giving him a base hit.  Dolan and Chinners would each advance to scoring position on a ground out from Thornburg.  The Keydets would make ever effort to set up a inning-ending play by intentially walking Cox to first looking for the double play.  They would instead, get one, as a senior Kory Morian would reach on fielder’s choice forcing Dolan out at home.  Hustedt would step to the plate and tally up a 2-2 count with two outs before hitting his first homer of the year; a walk-off grandslam that fell just inside the foul post on the outside of the left field fence to bring home four RBI and seal the Bucs’ victory by a final of 9-5.  The homer is Hustedt’s third of his two year career at CSU.

 The Bucs will be back in action, weather permitting, tomorrow afternoon at 1:30 for game two against the Keydets.  Stay tuned to CSUSports.com for schedule changes due to weather.