ROCK HILL, S.C. – Charleston Southern's bats came alive with a pair of three-run home runs in the second game of Saturday's doubleheader at Winthrop, as the Buccaneers evened the series at Winthrop heading into the rubber match Sunday. The host Eagles claimed game one 2-1 before the Bucs rebounded with a 6-3 triumph.

GAME 1 | WINTHROP 2, CHARLESTON SOUTHERN 1
Action looked strong for Charleston Southern early, as Gracie Prince led off with a single and moved to second on a wild pitch. She was joined on the base paths by Ashley Meckley following a walk but each runner only advanced another 60 feet before the top of the first came to a close.

Winthrop (12-25, 6-7 Big South) capitalized in its half, plating its only runs. Macy McCall had her own leadoff single before coming around to score as Paige Rivas tripled in the next at-bat. Rivas then was brought in to grow the advantage to 2-0 as Kaitlyn Tucker also singled as the third-straight Eagles batter to collect a hit.

The Bucs added two base runners in the top of the second on two more walks as well as in the visitor half of the third as Meckley laid down a bunt single. She moved to second on a stolen base and Lilly Bishop was hit by a pitch. Again, CSU's runners advanced an additional 60 feet, with Annah Junge pinch running for Bishop on a wild pitch, but the rest of the order was sent down in order ending the threat.

Charleston Southern (16-20, 5-8 Big South) was finally able to add its own run to the scoreboard in the top of the sixth. With two outs, Madison Koger belted a home run down the left-field line to break up the shutout attempt. The Buccaneers managed one other base runner, on a Prince seventh inning single, but could not bring her around for the game-tying run.

Prince's two hits were one-half of the team total, while Meckley and Koger had the other pair. Junge was the starter in the circle, tossing a complete game and striking out eight while issuing zero walks. She allowed just five hits in the 6.0 innings.

GAME 2 | CHARLESTON SOUTHERN 6, WINTHROP 3
The Bucs came out for the second game determined to prevent a sweep and they accomplished that feat. Charleston Southern (17-20, 6-8 Big South) cranked up the offense in the top of the second, as SeaEnna Satcher was the first to reach base on a leadoff hit by pitch. Raleigh Lewis was plunked, as well, in the next at-bat. Lexi Markle then sent a home run over the leftfield fence, her fifth long ball of the campaign, to give CSU the 3-0 edge.

Blake Holtorf in the circle kept the Eagles bats from doing any damage, sending them down 1-2-3 over the next two frames. Meanwhile, the Buccaneers bats stayed warm with another three-run top of the third. Bishop singled to center before being lifted as for Holtorf as a pinch runner. Satcher was hit by a pitch in her second-straight plate appearance, putting runners on first and second. Lewis then powered a home run to the left-center gap, tying Satcher for the team's season lead with six, to pad the cushion to 6-0 heading into the middle innings.

Winthrop (12-26, 6-8 Big South) left a runner stranded over each of the next-three innings before finally bringing home runs in the bottom of the seventh. The Eagles followed the CSU strategy, as Bailey Warren led off with a hit by pitch before being substituted for as McKenzie West entered as a pinch runner. Ashton Vanhouse then laid down a bunt single and stole second base, putting the two in scoring position. Mackenzie Smith brought everyone home with a home run to left center, cutting the deficit in half, but Holtorf worked three-straight outs to close the complete game and pick up the victory.

Holtorf scattered seven hits, while striking out four and walking just one in her 7.0 innings to pick up her fifth triumph of her inaugural collegiate season. Markle was the only Bucs player with a multi-hit contest, as she was joined in the hits category with one each by Bishop, Erika Cooper, Lewis and Jones.

UP NEXT
The two programs will square off in Sunday's rubber match at Terry Field. The contest will be on ESPN+ and is slated for a 1 p.m. first pitch.