CHARLESTON, S.C. – Charleston Southern scored three runs in the bottom of the first inning and never looked back as they trounced Delaware State 13-1 in the opening contest of a four-game set from Nielsen Field in nonconference baseball action.

Jaret Bennett (2-0) got run support early and often as he tossed 6.0 innings of one-run ball for his second win of the season while the Buccaneer (3-7) offense took care of the rest scoring a season-high 13 runs on 13 hits and drawing 13 walks.

Alex Andronica had a career day at the plate finishing 5-for-6 with a solo homer, three RBI's and five runs scored while Christian Maggio drove-home five runs on the night and Ryan Stoudemire walked four times.

Delaware State (2-5) freshman Cole Bates (0-3) was tagged with the loss surrendering five runs, all earned, across four innings of work and striking out just one batter.

CSU freshman Christian Baker collected a three-inning save taking the hill in the seventh before the Buccaneer offense added eight insurance runs over their final at-bats.

First Inning
CSU took a 1-0 lead just three pitches into the ballgame as Kyle Sandstrom doubled to left center field and was immediately brought home by Alex Andronica's RBI single. Two more runs came across on Christian Maggio's single to center field giving CSU a 3-0 lead, one they would hold all night.

Fourth Inning
Andronica drove home his second of the night on a single then Dante Blakeney brought one home for a 5-0 Buccaneer lead at the time.

Fifth Inning
Delaware State would answer with their only run of the night, an RBI two-out double from leadoff man Tommy Jordan to make it 5-1, but it wouldn't get any closer.

Sixth Inning
Charleston Southern put their foot back on the gas once the Delaware State bullpen came on erupting for multi-run frames in three-consecutive innings. Andronica began the sixth with a solo shot, his first of the season, then a balk brought home Stoudemire. Freshman corner infielder Connor Aldrich got in on the hit parade singling a runner to the plate making it 8-1 Bucs through six frames.

Seventh Inning
Freshman reliever Christian Baker took over on the bump tossing 3.0 scoreless frames for the save striking out four batters – including the side in the eighth. The Buccaneer offense went back to work in the bottom half scoring two more runs on a bases-loaded walk from Maggio then a hit-by-pitch from Aldrich.

Eighth Inning
The Bucs tallied their final three runs in the eighth off two Delaware State pitchers thanks to an error and wild pitch as Blakeney came across on a ball to the backstop then two came home on a Maggio single to no-man's-land in center field between three defenders.

News and Notes

• Alex Andronica had a career day at the play finishing 5-for-6 with five runs, three RBI's a solo homer and was just a triple shy of the cycle
• Andronica also made a diving grab in the top of the night completing an all-around performance for the senior outfielder
• Ryan Stoudemire and Christian Maggio accounted for seven of the Bucs' 13 walks at the dish while Maggio drove in a game-high five runs
• CSU scored a season-high 13 runs banging out 13 hits and drawing 13 free passes
• Jaret Bennett worked a fairly stress-free 6.0 innings allowing just one run while striking out six batters
• Four Buccaneers collected multiple hits in the blowout win and three drove home at least two runs

Up Next
CSU and Delaware State continue their four-game weekend set with a doubleheader Saturday afternoon with first pitch scheduled for 1 p.m. on ESPN+. Both games will be seven-inning affairs between the Bucs and Hornets.