Despite Three Homers, CSU Falls to C of C

CHARLESTON, SC-  The Buccaneers dropped their contest Tuesday afternoon to the Cougars of College of Charleston by a final of 15-8.  Six of the eight Buccaneer runs came as results of home runs, but the large lead built by the Cougars in the beginning of the game would be more than the Bucs could push past. The loss drops the Bucs to 12-16 on the season while the Cougars advance to 20-5 on the season. 

CSU struggled on the mound, sending six to the mound in efforts to help the Bucs defense, but to avail as the Cougars out-hit the Bucs 16-9.  Buc opener Patrick Dolan (1-1) tallied the loss, while the Cougars’ Corey Ashner (1-0) would take the win in 3.2 innings of work and was the only Cougar to not allow a run.

The Bucs were lead from the plate by first baseman Nick Chinners who went 2-3, and tallied a walk.  Lead-off batter Scotty Radabaugh would do his job recording the first hit of the game for the Bucs and end going 2-4 on the afternoon.

The Cougars scored on seven of the nine innings, going the first four to build a 9-2 lead going into the bottom of the fourth.  The Bucs first run came in the bottom of the third on a two run homer from freshman Patrick Dolan, his sixth of the year to lead the team in the category.  Dolan’s homer also brought home center fielder Tom Burkett who reached on a fielder’s choice the play before.

The second CSU homer of the game came in the bottom of the fourth on a 3RBI rocket over the left center wall from senior short stop Mark Perry, his second of the season.  The homer also crossed fellow seniors Keith Hustedt and Kory Morian. 

The Bucs would finally stop the Cougars from scoring in the top of the fifth, but the Cougars would find their bats back in the sixth and seventh innings while holding the Bucs to their five runs.  The Cougars would start the eighth going to the bullpen for closer Curtis Dowling and the Bucs would take advantage of the switch scoring another three runs in the eighth and ninth.  Catcher Blake Hunt would hit and RBI single to cross Nick Chinners after hitting a double in the first play of the inning.  Hunt would score himself on an error at third base that was attempting to putout pinch hitter Bentley Christmas.

Senior Michael Obuchowski would find himself in the pinch hitter spot for Chinners in the ninth and tally the third Buc homer of the game on a first pitch homer over the center wall for the Bucs’ eighth run of the game.  It was Obuchowski’s first home run of the season.

The Bucs continue their non-conference play as they travel to Knoxville to take on the Volunteers of the Southeastern Conference for a 6:30 matchup at Lindsey Nelson Stadium on Wednesday night for 6:30 p.m. game.