CHARLESTON – The Buccaneers took on Winthrop in the first game of the weekend series on Friday night under the lights at Nielsen Field, with Kaden Smith delivering a walk off RBI single in extras to get the win. The victory gives the Bucs their first win of conference play, snapping a seven-game losing streak.
 
Charleston Southern tallied the first of the ball game, scoring it in the bottom of the first. With two outs on the board, Chandler Tuupo had a single and moved to second with Smith drawing a walk with a full count. Aidan McAskie was able to drive Tuupo home with a single over the second baseman and into the outfield.
 
In the top of the third and the fourth, Winthrop scored once in each to tie it and then take their first lead of the game. A fielder's choice notched the first across the plate with the other coming on a sacrifice flyout to the shortstop.
 
The bottom of the fourth proved to be the Buccaneers' frame, scoring three runs to regain the lead. McAskie had a leadoff walk and Nathan Martinez' singled to right field to put runners on the corners. Lucas Pringle had a double to the right center wall that scored both, giving Charleston Southern the lead back. Lew Rice moved Pringle over to third on a deep flyout to right field. He scored on a Blake Edgmon groundout, pushing the margin to 4-2.
 
In the fifth, Winthrop was able to even it at four apiece. A single to right field scored one and on the throw to the infield, the Bucs were unable to field it cleanly, allowing a second to score.
 
The Buccaneers were able to piece together another rally with two outs to get runs on the board again. Smith had a leadoff walk, and then after a pair of flyouts, Lucas Pringle got aboard with a walk as well. Rice got an RBI single to center field to score Smith and Pringle was able to cross home on Edgmon's single to right to put CSU ahead at 6-4.
 
The defenses and pitching staffs put up 0s for the next few innings. Winthrop was able to tie in the top of eighth with a double scoring two.
 
The game went on to extras with Kain Collins leading off with a single to center field. Then following a pitching change for the Eagles, AJ Martin reached on a fielder's choice with Collins out at second. Tuupo then had a single deep into the gap in right center to move Martin to third. Kaden Smith walked it off with a single to right field, bringing Martin home and giving Charleston Southern the win.
 
At the plate, Tuupo led the squad with three hits with Collins also having a multihit game with two. Collins added three walks to his name with Smith also drawing three. McAskie and Pringle each drew two during the contest also. As a team, they had 12 hits and 10 walks drawn.
 
Ryan Cole had the start for the Buccaneers, his first start on a Friday of the season. He tied his career-long in innings pitched with 5.0 on the year. He allowed just two earned runs to score during his time on the mound. Tyler Henshaw came out of the bullpen in relief of him throwing the next 2.2 innings. Ryan DuSang pitched the next 1.1 and Hayden Henry pitched up the win tossing the final 1.0, each throwing shutouts.
 
The teams will return to the Nielsen Field @ CSU Ballpark tomorrow afternoon for a 2:00 p.m. The game will be available on ESPN+ with Paul McDonald and Larry Sienko on the call.