Bucs Split Doubleheader with Hoyas

CHARLESTON, S.C. – The Charleston Southern baseball team rebounded from a 12-3 loss in game one with a 6-2 win in game two to earn a split of a Saturday afternoon doubleheader at CSU Ballpark. 

Game one starter Ryan Gunther made his CSU debut, allowing seven runs (two earned) in 3 1/3 innings.  He struck out two and walked one before giving way to Kyle Ward.  Ward had a solid outing on the mound, striking out six and giving up an unearned run on three hits in 3 2/3 innings.  Brennan Dorsett pitched the final two innings, allowing four runs with four strikeouts.

CSU struggled defensively in game one, committing six errors. 

Offensively, Nick Berry led the way with a hit, a run and an RBI for the Bucs.  Jaren Sustar and Walt Quattlebaum each had a hit and a run for the Bucs, who tallied nine hits on the day. 

A five-run outburst in the top of the second gave the Hoyas the early lead.  Kevin Johnson reached on an error and moved to third on a double by Andy Lentz.  A single by Justin Leeson scored both Johnson and Lentz, putting Georgetown up 2-0.  Leeson stole second before Trevor Matern reached first on another CSU error that scored Leeson to give the Hoyas the 3-0 lead.   

Rand Ravnaas doubled to left field to score Matern before Ravnaas himself scored on a single by Mike Garza.   

The Bucs struck in the bottom of the inning with back-to-back doubles from Quattlebaum and Berry.    Quattlebaum scored on Berry’s hit, cutting the deficit 5-1.  Blake Hunt reached on an error that scored Berry, making it 5-2. 

After a scoreless third, Georgetown was back at it again in the top of the fourth.  Lentz singled in the leadoff spot and stole second.  Matern followed him with another single, moving Lentz on third.  Ward relieved Gunther and gave up an RBI single to Ravnaas for a 6-1 lead. Matern scored on an error and Ravenaas scored on a sac fly to make it 8-2.

Sustar doubled to left center in the bottom of the fifth and scored on an error, cutting the margin to five.

The Hoyas followed with two runs in each of the final two innings.  Lentz scored on a single by Ravnaas, with Ravnaas following him home on a double by Garza in the top of the eighth.  In the top of the ninth, Johnson reached on an error and Corbin Blakely singled through the left side.  Both scored on Paul Bello's single to center.

In game two, senior right-hander Patrick Dolan allowed two runs on four hits, fanning seven over 5 2/3 innings to earn his initial victory of the season.

Zach Hagaman pitched 2 1/3 innings and Corey Deighan closed out the game.

Freshman centerfielder Bobby Ison went four-for-five and scored two runs, while Brian Welch was three-for-four with a run and three RBI.  Drew Woodall added two hits and an RBI and John Faircloth had an RBI.  

Freshman Chase Shelton doubled to right center in the bottom of the second and Welch blasted a two-run homer to put the Bucs up 2-0.   An inning later, Ison’s single up the middle was followed by Sustar’s double.  A sac fly by Faircloth scored Ison to up the CSU lead to 3-0. 

After Georgetown scored a two runs in the top of the sixth, CSU added three runs in the bottom of the seventh. 

Ison doubled down the right field line and scored on a single by Sustar.  Faircloth singled to left field and was followed by a ground rule double by Welch to score Sustar.  Woodall had an RBI single to score Faircloth with CSU's final run. 

Charleston Southern will be at CSU Ballpark on Wednesday when they host Savannah State in a 2 p.m. contest.