Bucs Sweep Radford in Double Header, 7-2, 6-1

Photo by Katie Freeland

CHARLESTON, S.C. – Clutch hitting was the name of the game for CSU in game one of the double header with Radford, as they scored six of their seven hits with two outs to take a 7-2 victory. The momentum carried over to game two and CSU expanded an early lead to take a 6-1 victory, sweeping the double header and winning its fourth Big South series of the year. 

Everyone did their part offensively in game one for CSU as they spread out eight hits between six different hitters, with Nick Chinners and Tom Burkett being the only two Buc hitters to get more than one.

Charleston Southern loaded the bases in the bottom of the first and a big two-run single by Kory Morian with two outs put CSU up 2-0.

After giving up two runs on a homerun by Jeff Kemp in the third to tie the game, Chinners got them back with another two-out hit, pounding one out of the park in left field to give CSU the lead back at 4-2.

Both pitching staffs would settle in after that point as starter Charlie McCready (1-4) went a season-best 5.1 innings to get the win after giving up just the two runs, both of which were unearned. Senior Keith Hustedt finished the game out pitching 3.2 innings of shutout ball with three strikeouts to get the save.  Shane Pysh (3-3), who got the start for Radford, went 7.1 innings, striking out a career-best 10 strikeouts. 

Looking for a little insurance, CSU added three runs to their total in the eighth inning, including two more with two outs in the inning. The rally started with a double by Chinners, who later scored on a pinch-hit double by Brantley Meier. Mark Perry pounded out the third double of the inning to score Meier and Morian to give CSU the7-2 advantage, where it would stay. 

Game One Box

CSU again took an early lead in game two when Blake Hunt scored from second on a two-out, RBI single by Brantley Meier.

It was fundamental baseball in the fourth that gave CSU a 2-0 lead as a hit-and-run was worked to perfection by Tyler Thornburg and Nick Chinners, putting Thornburg on third. Kory Morian wasted no time scoring him on a sacrifice fly to right field.

Radford cut the lead in half in the top of the fifth, stringing together three-straight singles to plate a run.

Mark Perry got the run right back for CSU on his third homerun of the season, pushing the lead back out to 3-1. Another homerun for CSU, this time a two-run shot from Morian in the sixth, gave CSU a little breathing room at 5-1.

Chinners added another insurance run with a homerun of his own in the bottom of the eighth, extending the Buccaneers’ lead to 6-1, and Thornburg was able to close the door in the ninth to seal the victory and double header sweep for Charleston Southern.

Jesse Cadenhead was just shy of his second complete-game of the season, pitching 8.1 innings, giving up one run and just six hits while striking out four. Cadenhead improved to 4-3 on the season, while Abram Williams (1-4) took the loss for the Highlanders despite striking out 6 CSU hitters in 5.1 innings.

Chinners continued to be solid at the plate with three more hits in game two, giving him a 5-for-7 performance on the day with two homeruns and four runs scored. Hunt and Meier had a pair of hits in game two as well, as CSU out-hit Radford 10-6 for the game. Morian and Perry also hit homers, both coming in game two.

Game Two Box

CSU will take the next week off for finals before returning to the diamond for an evening double header against the College of Charleston on May 6. The contests will begin at 5 p.m. at Patriots Point.