Hot Bats Power Bucs Past Eagles 9-3 in BSC Tournament

LEXINGTON, Va. – A powerful offense that totaled 15 hits, combined with a complete game by pitcher Stew Brase, propelled #3 Charleston Southern past #4 Winthrop by a score of 9-3 in game five of the 2011 Royal Purple Big South Championship presented by Triangle Rent a Car on Wednesday evening at Gray-Minor Stadium in Lexington, Va.

Eight different CSU batters recorded at least one hit, with six having two hits or more to lead the Bucs to their first postseason win since 2002.  The Bucs out hit the Eagles 15-8.

Brase threw his third complete game of the season, and his second against the Eagles.  He gave up three runs, just one of which was earned, off eight hits and struck out three to pick up his sixth win of the season. 

All-Conference Second Team honoree Walt Quattlebaum had a team-high three hits, going 3-for-5 with two runs and two RBI.  Fellow BSC honoree Jaren Sustar had two hits and two RBI, while All-Conference first team honoree Matt Still had two runs and an RBI off of two hits.  Seven different players scored for the Bucs. 

Tyler Mizenko took the loss for the Eagles, giving up six earned runs and nine hits in 6.0 innings.  Tommy Lawrence faced seven batters in relief, giving up three earned runs before Mitchell Knox took over and held the Bucs scoreless in 1.1 innings. 

TJ Olesczuk led the Eagles with three hits, while Cam Walters had two hits and two RBI on the evening.  Patrick Gamblin went 1-for-2, scoring two the WU’s three runs.

The Bucs got off to a fast start, with Brantley Meier scoring on a groundout by Nick Chinners to put CSU up 1-0 early in the first inning.   A single by Quattlebaum then drove home Alex Tomasovich to add another run to the CSU tally and push the Bucs ahead 2-0.   However, CSU errors put both Gamblin and Austen Barber on base in the top of the third.  Both would score when Walters doubled down the right field line tie things up at 2-2.

Chinners struck back in the bottom of the inning, singling up the middle.  Derek Smith doubled down the left field line, bringing Chinners home and putting the Bucs ahead once again by a score of 3-2.  Still singled to score Quattlebaum before Tom Burkett double down the left field line to score Still, adding to the Bucs’ lead at 5-2. 

CSU added to the lead in the bottom of the sixth, with Drew Woodall scoring on single by Sustar to put the score at 6-2.  The Eagles added another run to their tally as well, with Gamblin homering down the left field line to cut the Bucs’ lead to three runs at 6-3.

Smith hit his second double of the day in CSU’s first at bat in the bottom of the seventh, and scored when Quattlebaum singled to center field.  Still singled up the middle before Burkett reached on a successful bunt to load the bases.  Quattlebaum made it home on a sacrifice fly by Meier, pushing the Bucs’s lead to 8-3.  Sustar singled up the middle to score Still, giving the Bucs the 9-3 win. 

Charleston Southern advances to game eight of the tournament, where they will face #2 Liberty on Thursday at 7 p.m.  Because of the double elimination tournament, the Bucs will also play on Friday in either an 11 a.m. or 3 p.m. match up. 

Coach Lake's Postgame Interview