Bucs Drop Season Opener 2-1 to Hoyas

Photo by Tim Andrews

CHARLESTON, S.C. – Charleston Southern kicked off the 2012 baseball season with a 2-1 loss to visiting Georgetown on Friday afternoon at the CSU Ballpark.

The Bucs (0-1) and the Hoyas (2-0) will meet again in a doubleheader on Saturday morning starting at 11 a.m. Due to the threat of inclement weather, Sunday’s contest has been moved to Saturday afternoon. Saturday’s original start time of 2 p.m. has been pushed up to 11 a.m.

A two run-homer in the top of the eighth by Georgetown's Rand Ravnaas spoiled an outstanding pitching effort from CSU senior southpaw Charlie McCready, who allowed the two earned runs on five hits in 7 1/3 innings. McCready fanned six in defeat. Senior Corey Deighan pitched the final inning and two-thirds, striking out three.

Freshman centerfielder Bobby Ison tallied a pair of hits in his college debut while junior third baseman Jaren Sustar added two hits. Catcher Drew Woodall had the team's lone RBI, a single to score Brian Welch in the fifth inning. 

In the bottom of the fifth, Welch reached on a fielder’s choice, advancing to second when Blake Hunt was hit by a pitch.    Woodall singled to right field to drive home Welch, putting the Bucs up 1-0. 

After Ravnaas put the Hoyas on top, CSU threatened in the bottom of the eighth. Ison singled to left and Sustar reached first on a bunt, putting runners at first and second with no outs. The rally died a batter later when second baseman John Faircloth grounded into a double play and first baseman Walt Quattlebaum popped to short.