CHARLESTON, S.C. – Charleston Southern made the short drive down I-26 to Mount Pleasant to take on a crosstown rival, the College of Charleston, on Tuesday afternoon. The Buccaneers took the first matchup of the season series by a final score of 7-5. The win snaps a five-game losing streak to the Cougars and gives the first their first win over them since 2019.
 
In the fourth, the Bucs stranded a pair of runners in the top half of the fourth as BJ Banyon had a leadoff single that was followed by Cade Conway getting a single to move Banyon up to second, they moved up a bag on the next batter, but were unable to score.
 
The Cougars were able to first get on the board in the bottom half of the inning as a two-run homer to left field put them ahead 2-0.
 
In the sixth, the Bucs were able to get on the board to cut into their deficit. Banyon drew a walk with one out on the board and got moved to second on a sac bunt and eventually third after an error on the Cougars' pitcher. Chandler Tuupo knocked a single to left field to score Banyon, but Tuupo was thrown out as he tried to stretch it into a double to end the inning.
 
In the bottom half of the inning, the Bucs brought in Dylan Matsuoka for it and allowed the bases to get loaded with a pair of outs. The Cougars nearly scored during it as Avery Neaves hit a double to right center for a ground rule double which could have scored the runner on first if it were to not have been out of play. Matsuoka struck out the final batter of the inning to end the threat.
 
Charleston Southern got their first lead of the game in the 7^th, scoring two runs during it. Aiden McAskie came on as a pinch hitter to lead off the inning and had a hard-hit single to center to start it. After a popup out, Lucas Pringle came in as a pinch hitter as well and got hit by a pitch to get on base. Alex Urlaub flew out to center for the second out, but John Emendorfer delivered a huge hit to center to score McAskie and after the centerfielder bobbled the ball, Pringle came around to score too.
 
In the 8^th, the Bucs' offense exploded scoring four runs with Tuupo bringing home Banyon off a single for the first of the inning. Sam Manwarren pinch hit for McAskie for the next at bat and got a single straight up the middle moving Tuupo to third. After a strikeout by Bauman, Pringle cleared the bases on a three-run home run to put them ahead 7-5 with 1.5 to play.
 
The College of Charleston answered right back, scoring three runs in their half of it with the Cougars hitting a pair of home runs, each to left field. Neaves had a two-run blast while Luke Wood had a solo shot.
 
Charleston Southern used a full committee of players on the mound today. Sam Massey had the start throwing a scoreless two. Parks Ledwell was next up going for 2.1 and giving up a pair of runs. Tyler Henshaw finished off the 5^th recording a pair of outs. Dylan Matsuoka was next throwing a scoreless 6^th and then giving it to Christian Robb who went for 2.1 allowing three runs to score. Lee Watson and Devin MacWatters each tallied one of the final outs for the game to seal the victory.
 
Tuupo led the team at the plate with two hits with seven other Bucs getting a hit in the contest. Pringle led the team in RBIs as he brought three runners home. Tuupo scored a pair and Emendorfer added one to his total on the day. Pringle's home run marked the first one since he joined the Bucs. Additionally, the Bucs defense held strong playing back-to-back error-free games.
 
This weekend the Buccaneers will start up their conference action for the year as they will be playing host to High Point. The three-game series is set to start on Friday night with the first pitch at 5:00 p.m. followed by 1:30 p.m. on Saturday and 1:00 p.m. on Sunday. The Saturday game has been designated as the team's Military Appreciation Game.