CHARLESTON – Charleston Southern split their doubleheader against Rutgers on Saturday to open their weekend series against the opponent from the Big Ten. The Buccaneers took the first game of the day by a final score of 11-8, securing wins over Power 5 now for back-to-back seasons. In the Bucs win, they overcame an early 5-0 deficit, their first come-from-behind win of that many since Savannah State in 2019.
 
GAME ONE: Charleston Southern plated runs in seven of their eight at bats on their way to defeating Rutgers 11-8 in game one. It's the second straight season the Bucs have won a game over a power five team.

Rutgers scored five runs in the opening frame, but CSU responded with three runs in their half of the first. Alex Urlaub hit a solo home run to kick off the rally. After a Chandler Tuupo single and a Dakota Miller walk, Lucas Pringle brought both home with a double to right center field.

In the second, Cade Conway's single led to another CSU run when was driven in on a two out double from Tuupo. Rutgers added two in the third, but Bauman got one back for CSU with a solo homer that led off the bottom of the third. Christian Bauman collected his second RBI of the game in the following inning when his groundout scored Tuupo and shrunk the Rutgers led to 8-6.

A two-RBI single from Tuupo tied the game at eight, giving him his second and third RBIs of the game. He then drew a wild pickoff throw to bring Urlaub home from third and put the Bucs on top. The Bucs added an insurance run in the seventh and another in the eighth on a pinch-hit RBI single from John Ememdorfer. 

Parks Ledwell got the win for the Bucs throwing two innings and allowing just one hit. Evan Truitt got the save with four innings on the mound allowing just two hits and striking out three.
 
GAME TWO: Rutgers flipped the script in the backend of the doubleheader, getting the victory by a final score of 9-1.
 
Rutgers had a trio of three-run innings with them coming in the third, fourth and seventh. Hayden Henry had an RBI double in the 8^th to put the Bucs on the board to score Brock Kuehler. Henry and Kuehler joined Zach West and Cade Conway to pace the Bucs at the plate, each with one hit.
 
Brett Gastman had the start throwing 3.1, he was responsible for the first six runs, with Collin Kratzer being the first out of the bullpen for the Bucs. He threw a scoreless 2.2, allowing just one hit and two walks. Christian Robb and Lee Watson came in to finish off the game with Robb hurling the 7^th and 8^th and Watson did the 9^th.
 
Charleston Southern will be back in action tomorrow to decide the series winner. The first pitch is scheduled for 11:00 a.m. against the Scarlett Knights.