Baseball to Open Season at Home vs. UNF

CHARLESTON, S.C. - The Charleston Southern baseball team will open the 2011 season this weekend when they host the University of North Florida in a three-game series at CSU Ballpark.  The Bucs will take on the Ospreys on February 18. 19 and 20, with all games starting at 2 p.m.

CSU to Open 2011 Season at Home
CSU will open the 2011 season by hosting the North Florida Osprey for the first time ever February 19-20.  Though the Bucs have faced UNF before, their lone previous contest came in Jacksonville.    The Ospreys lead the series after taking a 6-1 victory in the inaugural meeting back in 1995. 

Bucs to Honor Bedenbaugh, Rhodes
Prior to today’s contest between the Ospreys and the Buccaneers, CSU will observe a moment of silence in honor of two members of the CSU baseball family.  In December, the Bucs lost teammate Will Bedebaugh when he was killed in a car accident near his home in Prosperity, S.C. Bedenbaugh was a redshirt freshman who appeared in 10 games at catcher last season.  The Bucs also mourn the passing of longtime supporter and baseball advocate Charles “Dusty” Rhodes, founder of the South Carolina Storm.  Rhodes lost his battle with cancer last week at the age of 49. 

Familiar Faces
The Osprey and the Buccaneers will share a few common opponents throughout the season.  The Osprey will return home from Charleston to play host to Liberty, who the Bucs will face during league play (March 18-20).    The two teams will also play Savannah State and Georgia Southern.    CSU also has a home-and-home series with nearby USC Upstate, who will face North Florida in Atlantic Sun League action later this season. 

Thornburg to Throw Out First Pitch
Tyler Thornburg will return to the mound on opening day, but will do so as an honored guest of the Buccaneers.  Thornburg was selected by the Milwaukee Brewers in the 3rd round of Major League Baseball Amateur Draft in 2010.  In three seasons with the Buccaneers, Thornburg excelled on the mound with a 9-8 record and 123 strikeouts.  The Atlanta, Ga., native recorded just 58 walks during his career.  Thornburg was also a force to be reckoned with at the plate, hitting .292 with 12 home runs, 16 doubles and a triple in 2009 alone.  He earned All-Big South accolades and was also named a College Baseball Foundation National All-Star. 

Chinners, McCready Earn Postseason Honors
Buccaneers first baseman Nick Chinners and pitcher Charlie McCready earned postseason honors for the Bucs following the 2010 season.  Chinners earned Big South Conference All-Second Team honors after finishing the 2010 season with the second best batting average in the Big South at .385 and finished fourth in putouts (407).  McCready earned All-Academic team honors for the Big South, carrying a 3.95 GPA as a biology major.  He had 16 appearances for the Bucs with eight starts in 2010.    Former Buc Tyler Thornburg also earned BSC All-Second Team honors. 

Chinners, Burkett Named Captains
Seniors Nick Chinners and Tom Burkett will serve as the CSU captains for the 2011 season.  Burkett, a senior outfielder, and Chinners, a senior first baseman, were voted captains by their teammates.  Also receiving an honor was senior outfielder Brantley Meier, who was voted to wear the team’s #23 jersey.  The jersey is awarded to a player for efforts on the field as well as living the CSU values, and is worn in honor of late Buccaneer Grant Ringenberg. 

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