Bucs to Host Presbyterian, Georgia Southern in Final Home Stand

CHARLESTON, S.C.  – The Bucs will wrap up their home schedule, as well as nonconference action when they play host to the Big South’s Presbyterian this weekend and Georgia Southern on Tuesday at CSU Ballpark.  This weekend’s home stand will kick off on Friday afternoon at 2 p.m., and will be highlighted by the team’s annual Senior Day activities on Saturday afternoon. 

Prior to Saturday’s game vs. the Blue Hose, the Bucs will honor the 11 seniors who have completed their time at Charleston Southern this season.   The CSU Baseball Class of 2011 has been an integral part of rebuilding the program under the direction of head coach Stuart Lake.  Led by this year’s seniors, the Bucs have continued to improve each season in the three years since Coach Lake has taken the helm of the team.  These 11 players have been the heat and soul of the program during one of the most successful seasons in school history.   In the four years since these players joined the team, the Bucs have earned a win No. 6 Florida, defeated cross-town rival the College of Charleston for the first time since 2007, and earned 25 overall wins and 12 conference victories for the first time since 2002.

GAME NOTES          LIVE STATS

CSU Baseball Class of 2011

#12 Stew Brase | RHP |LaGrange Park, Ill

Brase boasts 65 career appearances on the mound for the Buccaneers, with 18 games started.   He is currently in the midst of a career season, with a career-high 11 starts and four wins.  Brase has also pitched two complete games for the Bucs this season, and is the only Big South pitcher in 2011 to pitch a complete game into extra innings, throwing a career high 9.2 innings on April 22 vs. Winthrop.    He currently has a career best 3.28 ERA as a senior in 2011.  

Favorite baseball memory: Good times on the bus.

Best game at CSU: Winthrop in 2011

What you want to be remembered for: Working hard and loving the game.

Favorite spot on campus: The locker room.

Best class at CSU: Freshman Seminar

What you’re doing after graduation: Whatever I want.

Advice for the underclassmen: Live in the moment and have fun with the game.

#24 Tom Burkett |Outfielder | West Newton, Pa.

Burkett is a four-year starter for the Buccaneers who ranks near the top of the record books in numerous categories.  He is tied for third place in program history with eight career doubles and is fifth all-time with 57 stolen bases.  Burkett recently tied CSU’s single game record for stolen bases with four against the Winthrop Eagles.  His grand slam at High Point moved into sole possession of third place on the school’s all-time home runs list.  Burkett is kinesiology and education major who hopes to pursue a career in teaching and coaching upon graduation.  

Favorite baseball memory: Beating No. 6 Florida.

Best game at CSU: UNCA my freshman year.

What you want to be remembered for: A good teammate and leader who led by example. 

Favorite spot on campus: Baseball field.

Best class at CSU: Freshman seminar with Dr. Clerico.

What you’re doing after graduation: Becoming a teacher and coach.

Advice for the underclassmen: Keep up with your school work and keep building the program.  

#13 Jesse Cadenhead | RHP | Denver, N.C.

Cadenhead has made 61 appearances on the mound for the Buccaneers with 34 career starts and 14 career wins.   He has faced over a 1,000 batters in his four-year career and has struck out 194.    As a junior, Cadenhead started 15 games at catcher and designated hitter, batting .263 with eight extra base hits, including two home runs. Cadenhead earned Big South Pitcher of the Week for his win over Radford in 2009, and set career marks as a senior with 9.0 innings pitched and nine strikeouts vs. both the Radford Highlanders and the Winthrop Eagles.    He is a kinesiology major at CSU.  

Favorite baseball memory: Great times in the locker room.

Best game at CSU: Complete game against VMI my sophomore year.

What you want to be remembered for: Being a hard worker and good teammate

Favorite spot on campus: The locker room.

Best class at CSU: Pop Culture with Paul Roof.

What you’re doing after graduation: Relaxing.

Advice for the underclassmen: Work hard because it goes by a lot faster than you think.  Enjoy every minute of it. 

#10 Nick Chinners | INF | Blythewood, S.C.

Chinners will leave CSU with his name frequently appearing in the school record book.  He recently became the school’s all-time hits leader after recording his 245th career hit on May 6 at High Point.  A four-year starter for the Bucs, he has hit over .300 in each of his four seasons and was a 2010 Big South All-Conference honoree.   Chinners ranks fourth all-time in career doubles with 41 and is two RBI away from claiming the fourth spot on CSU’s all-time RBI lists.    He boasts 18 career home runs, including three this season and completed a degree in kinesiology at CSU.   

Favorite baseball memory: Beating Florida when they were No. 6 in the country.

Best game at CSU: Going 4-for-5 against VMI – hit for the cycle. 

What you want to be remembered for: Being a good teammate.

Favorite spot on campus: The locker room with my brothers.

Best class at CSU: American Pop Culture with Dr. Roof.

What you’re doing after graduation: Pursuing a career in coaching and possibly sports ministry.

Advice for the underclassmen: Have fun!  Play the game just how it was made to be played.  Play it like you’re still playing a pickup game with your friends on a Saturday in the backyard.  

#3 Bentley Christmas | INF | Summerville, S.C. 

A three-year player for the Buccaneers, Christmas has appeared in 76 career games with 38 starts after transferring from USC Sumter.  He led the team with eight sacrifice bunts and boasted a .949 fielding percentage as a junior in 2010.   Christmas hit .357 in his first year with the team in 2009, and has 90 career putouts and 92 assists.  Christmas earned his bachelor’s degree from CSU and is currently enrolled in the MBA program.  

Favorite baseball memory: Beating the University of Florida in Florida.

Best game at CSU: Presbyterian in 2010 – 3-for-4 with a home run.

What you want to be remembered for: My work ethic.

Favorite spot on campus: The field and the Brewer Center. 

Best class at CSU: Management with Excellence and Integrity.

What you’re doing after graduation: MBA program at CSU.

Advice for the underclassmen: No amount of work is ever enough.  Always try to get better in whatever you do in live. 

#14 Anthony Markham |RHP| Summerville, S.C. 

A four-year player for the Buccaneers, Markham spent two seasons as a weekend starter.  He has played in 55 career games and has pitched 231 innings.   He boasts 11 wins in his career, and has excelled in a relief role, picking up four wins this season.  Markham has faced over 1100 batters in his career and has struck out 155.  Markham has started 35 on the mound for the Bucs, and will end his career with an ERA of 6.32.  He is currently pursuing a degree in business.

Favorite baseball memory: Being Tyler Thornburg’s teammate.

Best game at CSU: Coastal Carolina in 2010.

What you want to be remembered for: Having fun and working hard.

Favorite spot on campus: Java City.

Best class at CSU: Math III with Hanlon

What you’re doing after graduation: Going to see the Seven Wonders of the World.

Advice for the underclassmen: Get busy living or get busy dying. 

#2 Brandon McKinney | INF | Oak Ridge, N.C. 

McKinney joined the Buccaneers in 2010 after spending two years at Guilford Tech Community College and has been a solid contributor ever since.  He has appeared in 65 games with 44 starts, spending his junior season as a shortstop before moving to second base as a senior in 2011.  McKinney has recorded 42 hits, including 10 extra base hits and 19 RBI in his two seasons with the team.    He hit .303 this season, and recently tied his career RBI with three vs. High Point.  

Favorite baseball memory: Every day, going to the field and hanging out with these guys.

What you want to be remembered for: Being someone that everyone looks up to and made everything more fun.

Favorite spot on campus: The Caf.

Best class at CSU: Organizational Change.

What you’re doing after graduation: Undecided.

Advice for the underclassmen: Work hard and win a championship.

#23 Brantley Meier | OF | Charleston, S.C. 

A local product, Meier will leave also leave CSU with his name etched in school history.  A three-year starter for the Bucs, he has played in 181 games and has developed into one of the Big South’s strongest leadoff hitters.  As a junior in 2010, he set a new single-season hits record with 84 hits on the season.   He is on pace for a career year, with 41 runs in 2011 and is ranked the 22nd toughest batter to strike out in NCAA Division I.  Meier was elected to wear the team’s commemorative #23 jersey, which is given each year to a senior who best represents the program and the university, as well as exemplifies the CSU philosophy.  Meier is working towards a degree in kinesiology at CSU.  

Favorite baseball memory: Beating the Univ. of Florida at their place.

Best game at CSU: 5-for-6 against PC with two doubles, three runs scored – including the game winner & 4-for-5 against UF, with 2 runs, 1 RBI and a stolen base.

What you want to be remembered for: Leaving a legacy of hard work and determination both spiritually and physically.

Favorite spot on campus: Baseball field.

Best class at CSU: Kinesiology.

What you’re doing after graduation: Playing pro baseball or grad school at Univ. of Texas.

Advice for the underclassmen: Work hard, do the right things and leave this place better than you when you started.

#18 Derek Smith | DH | Monck’s Corner, S.C. 

Smith has spent the last four seasons as the Buccaneer’s primary designated hitter, appearing in 170 games with 142 starts.  He started his career off with a bang, earning All-Conference honors as freshman in 2008 after leading the team with 11 home runs and 42 RBI.  He will end his career ranked second on CSU’s all-time home runs list with 30 career homers.  Smith has tallied 80 runs off 162 career hits with 112 RBI, and again leads the Bucs with 37 runs driven in this season.  He has 56 career extra base hits, and boasts a career slugging percentage of .500.  

Favorite baseball memory: All of the great teammates I’ve had. 

Best game at CSU: 2008 vs. PC.   I went 5-for-5 with two singles, a double and two home runs.

Favorite spot on campus: The baseball field.

Best class at CSU: The last one.

What you’re doing after graduation: Not sure, but hopefully I can get into coaching.

Advice for the underclassmen: Work hard and play harder.

#17 Matt Still | OF | Monck’s Corner, S.C. 

A two year starter for the Bucs, Still transferred to CSU from Limestone College in 2010.  He immediately made an impact, starting 44 games and appearing in 50 overall at third base as a redshirt junior.  As a senior, he moved to left field and is in the midst of a career season.  Of his 98 career hits, 37 have been extra base hits as Still currently leads the team in doubles with 14 in 2011.   He driven home 53 runs, including a career-high 28 this season.  He will finish his time at CSU with a career batting average of .302 and a career slugging percentage of .481.  Still received a degree in kinesiology earlier this month.  

Favorite baseball memory: Hitting a home run at South Carolina and playing Clemson.

Best game at CSU: vs. Virginia Tech (4-for-4).

What you want to be remembered for: Friendship, honesty, hard work, love for the game and life.  

Favorite spot on campus: Locker room.

Best class at CSU: American Pop Culture (Dr. Roof).  

What you’re doing after graduation: Dad and Mom said I have to get a job.

Advice for the underclassmen: Live it up. 

#30 Tyler Vick | RHP | Pawley’s Island, S.C. 

A two year player for the Bucs, Vick came to Charleston Southern after spending two seasons at Spartanburg Methodist and became one of CSU’s most trusted relief pitchers.  Vick has given up just 29 earned runs in 37 appearances on the mound.  His best performance came against Siena, when he struck out six consecutive batters in the final two innings to close out a 14-8 win, helping the Bucs to their first series sweep since 2008.    Vick has 38 career strikeouts and has given up just 10 extra base hits in his career.  He is currently pursuing a degree in social science.  

Favorite baseball memory: Beating #6 Florida at Florida.

Best game at CSU: 1 2/3 scoreless innings at South Carolina in 2010.

What you want to be remembered for: Being someone that contributed and competed each game.

Favorite spot on campus: Locker room.

Best class at CSU: American Pop Culture with Dr. Paul Roof. 

What you’re doing after graduation: Teaching and coaching.

Advice for the underclassmen: Work hard to get better each year.