Bucs Fall to USC Upstate, 7-5

SPARTANBURG, S.C. – Charleston Southern (12-22) jumped out to a quick 3-0 lead, but it would not be hold as USC Upstate (22-11) captured a 7-5 victory on Tuesday evening at Harley Park.

The Buccaneer offense did not waste any time scoring in the ball game. With one out, back-to-back singles from Jaren Sustar and John Faircloth set up an Alex Tomasovich double down the right field line that scored Sustar and gave the Bucs a quick 1-0 lead. After an RBI groundout from Chase Shelton that made it 2-0, designated hitter Walt Quattlebaum took a 2-0 pitch thru the left side and into left field, scoring Tomasovich to extend the lead to 3-0.

CSU starter Kevin Buran cruised thru the first two innings before hitting some trouble in the bottom half of the third. Austin Liput singled to start the inning for the Spartans and Brody Greer drew a walk to make it first and second with no outs. Leadoff man Jordan Stampler executed with a perfect sacrifice bunt to move both runners up 90 feet followed by Buran issuing his second walk of the inning to Dillon Way to load the bases. Buran then fanned Gaither Bumgardner, one of Buran’s two strikeouts in the ball game, before giving up a two-out single to Greg Guers. Guers’ single was misplayed by Buccaneer center fielder Bobby Ison, allowing Guers to advance all the way to third and in the process scoring all three runs. Tyler Miller then knocked a triple into the right-center field gap to make it 4-0 and in the process ended Buran’s night.

Kyle Ward (0-2) came out of the CSU bullpen to replace Buran with two outs in the bottom of the third. Ward induced a pop-up to the infield to end the Upstate rally.

Buran went 2 2/3 innings giving up four earned runs on four hits. He had two strikeouts and allowed three walks.

Charleston Southern answered immediately to the Spartans’ big inning. Quattlebaum collected his second hit of the ball game off Upstate starter Chris Cox. With two outs, Blake Hunt came thru with a single to right field that moved Quattlebaum to third. Freshman Robbie Streett then followed with a two-out base-hit of his own that knotted the game 4-4.

Cox tossed four innings for the Spartans. He also gave up four runs along with seven hits and one strikeout.

USC Upstate would regain the lead in the bottom of the fourth. Brandon Patterson reached by when a Ward pitch hit him in the arm but was forced out at second on a fielder’s choice by Liput. After Greer walked to make it first and second, both runners would advance a base each on a wild pitch. With two outs, Way chopped a ball to third base and barely beat the throw across the diamond from Faircloth for an infield single that gave the Spartans the 5-4 edge.

Trailing 6-4, Streett drew a walk to start the bottom of the seventh for the Bucs off reliever L.J. Newman (1-1). Harrison Wilkins came on to pinch-run and advanced to second on Ison’s sacrifice bunt for the first out of the inning. Faircloth would come thru with a two-out single that scored Wilkins, cutting the Spartan lead down to one.

Upstate would tack on one more run in the seventh when Trey Richardson took a Brennan Dorsett pitch off the wall in left field for a double, plating Guers.

Dorsett tossed 2 2/3 innings in relief for the Bucs. He allowed two earned runs on four hits and struck out one Upstate batter.

Corey Deighan came on to throw the last 1 1/3 innings for CSU. He did not allow a run while also striking out two.

Newman picked up the win for the Spartans, his first of the season. He threw three innings of relief in which he allowed one earned run on three hits. He also walked one and struck out one.

The loss went to Kyle Ward for the Bucs. Ward gave up just one earned run on one hit in 1 1/3 innings.

Chad Sobotka earned his seventh save of the season for Upstate as he tossed a scoreless ninth inning.

Quattlebaum led the way offensively for Charleston Southern with three hits in the ball game. Sustar and Faircloth each added two hits for the Buccaneer offense.

The Spartans were led by Guers, Miller and Richardson who all had two hits each.

Charleston Southern returns to the diamond tomorrow afternoon when they welcome Colonial Athletic Association member UNC-Wilmington to CSU Ballpark. First pitch is scheduled for 3:00 p.m.