CHARLESTON, S.C. - Charleston Southern welcomes Winthrop to Nielsen Field at the CSU Ballpark for a three-game series over Senior Weekend as the Buccaneers continue their final home stand of the 2021 regular season. The Bucs will take on the Eagles with a 6 p.m. first pitch on Friday night, while Saturday's doubleheader is set for a 1 p.m. start time. All three games will be carried live on ESPN+.

The Bucs will recognize their 2021 seniors and graduate class in a pregame ceremony on Friday evening starting at 5:40 p.m.

Weekend Schedule
Game One – Friday, May 7, 2021
Charleston Southern vs. Winthrop
6 p.m. * Charleston, S.C. * Nielsen Field at CSU Ballpark * Live Stats * ESPN+
Projected Starters: CSU RHP R.J. Petit (4-4, 2.34 ERA) vs. WU RHP Tyler Jones (1-5, 5.45 ERA)

Game Two – Saturday, May 8, 2021
Charleston Southern vs. Winthrop
1 p.m. * Charleston, S.C. * Nielsen Field at CSU Ballpark * Live Stats * ESPN+
Projected Starters: CSU TBA vs. WU RHP Colten Rendon (2-2, 6.64 ERA)

Game Three – Saturday, May 8, 2021
Charleston Southern vs. Winthrop
40 minutes after first pitch * Charleston, S.C. * Nielsen Field at CSU Ballpark * Live Stats * ESPN+
Projected Starters: CSU TBA vs. WU LHP Parker Whittle (2-0, 7.63 ERA)

CSU Game Notes vs Winthrop

Back Home Again
Charleston Southern continues its final home stand of the 2021 season this weekend as the Buccaneers host the Eagles for the second time this spring. CSU is 9-6 this season at Nielsen Field at the CSU Ballpark with Big South series wins over Longwood, UNC Asheville, High Point, and USC Upstate. The Bucs also took the series finale this past weekend against Gardner-Webb.

Bucs in Big South Play
Charleston Southern enters the weekend with a 14-16 overall record in Big South competition and sits behind Presbyterian (11-12) for the final spot in the 2021 conference championships. The top four teams in the Big South standings will advance to the conference's postseason tournament held at SEGRA Stadium in Fayetteville, N.C. on May 27-29. USC Upstate (21-9), Gardner-Webb (20-9), and Campbell (18-9) hold the top three spots, while Radford (12-14), High Point (12-15), and UNC Asheville (12-17) all remain within striking distance of making the conference's postseason event.

Big South 40-Flex-10
The Big South Conference announced prior to the start of the season that the schedule would be a "40-flex-10" model this season featuring 40 conference games, while allowing for up to 10 nonconference contests on the year. The Bucs only play single series against High Point, USC Upstate, Campbell, and Radford this season, while matching up against the other conference foes multiple times on the year.

Recapping Last Weekend
Charleston Southern fell in two of the three games this past weekend but rallied to take the finale in the series against Gardner-Webb. GWU won the opening contest in an extra-inning thriller 5-4 on Friday night. The Bucs fell in the first game on Saturday 10-6, but rallied behind a pair of Andrew Bullock home runs in the second contest to take the final game 7-1.

Charleston Southern was unable to complete its second comeback on Friday night as the Buccaneers fell in an 11-inning contest to visiting Gardner-Webb in the opener, 5-4. GWU took the one-run lead in the top of the 11th inning on a Dom Peroni solo home run to put the Runnin' Bulldogs in control in extra innings. The Bucs rallied back in the bottom of the 11th inning with CSU loading the bases on a Sam Trend-Beacom single, while Brooks Bryan and Connor Aldrich both drew walks to put the tying run at third base. However, GWU reliever Isaac Campbell (S, 3) picked up his third save of the season getting the final out to close out the contest.

Gardner-Webb broke open a 3-3 game with a four-run frame in the top of the sixth as the Runnin' Bulldogs took the doubleheader opener on Saturday afternoon. Eric Jones connected on a home run to spark the frame for GWU, while Mitch McLendon added a two-run double as the Runnin' Bulldogs secured the series win.

Andrew Bullock homered in both the first and fifth innings in support of strong pitching performances from John Sendziak and Sam Massey as the Buccaneers salvaged the series finale against the visiting Runnin' Bulldogs. Bullock's two-run shot in the bottom of the first sparked the CSU offense while his solo shot in the bottom of the fifth answered Bo Rusher's home run as the Bucs picked up their 14th win in Big South play this season. Derek Horton added a RBI double, while Dante Blakeney connected on a RBI triple as the Buccaneers scattered 10 hits in the win.

This Season Against Winthrop
Backed by a seven-inning outing from Willie Lumpkin, Winthrop kept the Charleston Southern offense in check most of the night for a 4-1 win from The Winthrop Ballpark earlier in the year on March 23. Winthrop scored two runs on just one hit in the first inning but it was all Lumpkin would need as Charleston Southern could only push across one run - a towering blast from Andrew Bullock in the seventh inning - on seven hits.

Sam Massey and Hunter McIntosh combined to throw 6.0 innings of relief allowing just two earned runs and striking out five, but Lumpkin provided enough length for the home Eagles tossing 7.0 innings of one-run ball scattering six hits.

Winthrop jumped to an early lead and held off a Charleston Southern comeback attempt late in the contest in the rematch on April 20 as the Buccaneers fell to the visiting Eagles at Nielsen Field at the CSU Ballpark on Tuesday night, 13-5.

Houston Parker paced the Bucs with a two-hit performance, while Reid Hardwick and Dylan Stewart posted extra-base hits as CSU fell to Winthrop for the second time in the spring season. John Sendziak suffered the loss in his first start on the season after surrendering four runs (three earned) over the opening inning. Hunter McIntosh, Jack Dungan, Christian Baker, Jordan Bridges, Sam Hunt, and Bradyn Kail all saw time on the mound for the Bucs in the game.

All-Time Against the Eagles
Winthrop leads the all-time series over the Bucs with the 65-34 edge dating back to the first contest in 1988, a CSU 11-1 win over the Eagles. The Bucs have posted a 19-24 record all-time in Charleston against Winthrop.

CSU's longest winning streak in the series came back in the 2011 and 2012 seasons when the Bucs won five consecutive games. More recently, CSU won three of four over the 2017 and 2018 seasons with all games occurring in Charleston. The Eagles have won each of the last five contests against the Buccaneers dating back to the end of the 2018 season.

About Winthrop
Winthrop has a midweek contest against Wofford as the Eagles take on the Terriers this evening at The Winthrop Ballpark prior to the weekend series. The Eagles entered the week with a 12-22 overall record and 9-17 mark in Big South Conference play on the year.

Winthrop has posted weekend series wins over Longwood and USC Upstate in addition to winning both early season matchups against the Buccaneers this spring. The Eagles were picked to finish second overall in the conference's preseason poll, while Scout McFalls and Colten Rendon were among the leading vote-getters for the Big South's preseason accolades.

Ty Hooks (.337) leads the Eagles hitting efforts on the season and is one of two players on the Winthrop roster hitting above .300 this spring. Joey Tepper (.319) is also hitting above the .300 mark on the year and sits second on the team with 36 hits, while adding eight doubles and a pair of home runs. Dillon Morton is the team's primary power threat with four home runs and 22 RBI, while Spencer Yankle has added three home runs, 12 doubles, and 27 RBI.

Tyler Jones has been Winthrop's primary starter in the 2021 season with a team-high nine starts and 38.0 innings pitched on the year. Colton Rendon has drawn time as both a starter and serving as the team's primary relief specialist with all three of the Eagles saves. Daniel Blair has added six starts, while Andrew Coker has also posted five nods from the head coach on the season.

Winthrop hitters have combined to hit .275 from the plate entering the weekend. The Eagles have posted 58 doubles and four triples, while eight players have combined to hit 16 home runs in 2021.

The Eagles have struggled to contain opponent hitters on the year with teams hitting .304 against the Winthrop pitching staff. Winthrop pitchers have also posted a combined 7.37 ERA on the year.

Bucs Among Big South Leaders
Charleston Southern has had multiple players put up big numbers on the 2021 season as the Buccaneers have several players among the conference leaders in multiple statistical categories.

• Triples – Johnny Oliveira (3, T-4th), Dylan Stewart (3, T-4th)
• Hit By Pitch – Houston Parker (10, T-6th), Reid Hardwick (10, T-6th)
• Stolen Bases – Kyle Sandstrom (12, T-2nd)
• ERA – R.J. Petit (2.34, 3rd), Daniel Padysak (3.71, 7th)
• Opposing Batting Average – R.J. Petit (.224, 3rd), Daniel Padysak (.259, 10th)
• Innings Pitched – R.J. Petit (65.1, 3rd), Daniel Padysak (51.0, T-8th)
• Strikeouts – R.J. Petit (59, 4th)
• Wins – R.J. Petit (4, T-5th)
• Appearances – Jordan Bridges (15, T-4th), Bradyn Kail (15, T-4th)
• Games Finished – Kyle Sandstrom (7, T-5th)
• Games in Relief – Bradyn Kail (15, T-3rd)
• Fielding Percentage – Sam Trend-Beacom (1.000, T-1st)
• Assists – Reid Hardwick (74, T-8th)

Recent Hot Streaks and Notes of Interest

• Houston Parker enters the weekend on his second double-digit on-base streak of the 2021 season, while Reid Hardwick has reached base safely in his last eight contests to highlight the Bucs' recent efforts.
• Parker leads the Buccaneers hitting efforts with a .311 batting average on the season.
• Parker and Kyle Sandstrom are tied for the team lead with 37 hits.
• Sandstrom paces the Buccaneers with 20 RBI on the season.
• Parker is the team leader with eight doubles.
• Thanks to his latest power surge, Andrew Bullock leads the Bucs with five home runs on the year.
• Sandstrom leads the Bucs with 12 stolen bases.
• Tyrell Brewer (7-of-7) and Houston Parker (6-of-6) are both perfect in their stolen base attempts on the season.
• Hardwick is the only player on the Bucs' roster to have lined up and started in all 34 games in the 2021 season.

Home Splits

• Charleston Southern boasts six players in the starting lineup posting at or above a .300 batting average at Nielsen Field at the CSU Ballpark this season.
• Dylan Stewart (.349) leads the way among hitters finding their stride inside the friendly confines, while Tyrell Brewer (.345), Connor Aldrich (.344), Houston Parker (.315), Johnny Oliveira (.313), and Kyle Sandstrom (.300) are all above the mark.
• Houston Parker leads all CSU players with 23 hits and 17 runs, while six of his eight doubles have also come at home.
• Connor Aldrich has a team-high 15 RBI in Charleston this season while adding 13 runs scored.
• Andrew Bullock's two home runs in the series finale against Gardner-Webb marked his first two home runs hit at Nielsen Field this season.
• Reid Hardwick has the rare distinction of more runs than hits at home this season as the infielder has posted 16 runs scored against 15 hits in 2021.

Coming up on the Schedule
Charleston Southern dives into Big South play as CSU is scheduled to remain in conference competition throughout the remainder of the 2021 spring season.

Final Series

• May 11 vs. Presbyterian
• May 14-15 at Radford
• May 20-21 at Longwood
• May 27-29 at Big South Championships

Attendance Policies at Nielsen Field at the CSU Ballpark
Charleston Southern Athletics has made the decision to limit the number of spectators at all home events this spring. At this time, only a limited number of guests on the home team's pass list will be allowed in attendance. Visiting team guests will not be permitted unless on the home team pass list.

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