STATESBORO, GA. – Georgia Southern defeated Charleston Southern in extra innings in the Buccaneers first road game of the season on Tuesday evening. The Eagles claimed the win by a 4-3 final score, winning on a walk-off blooper single just past the infield to score the runner from third.
 
The Eagles were able to play from ahead right from the jump of the game. After getting out of the top of the first, Georgia Southern's Sean Smith had a solo home run to left field, giving them a 1-0 lead.
 
The Bucs offense struggled early as they were not able to get a hit until the bottom of the lineup the second time through the order but had many players reach on walks and hit by pitches. They were unable to score off this, grounding into a double play. In the bottom half of the inning, the Eagles pushed another across home as Josh Tate had an RBI double to left center to make their lead 2-0.
 
In the seventh, Lucas Pringle and Gavin Bogdanchik were hit by back-to-back pitches to put runners on first and second. Anthony Sanguedolce had a single to left to move the runners up a base. During the play, the Eagles' left fielder bobbled the ball while fielding it which allowed for Pringle to round third and score, giving CSU their first run of the day and cut the deficit to 2-1.
 
Georgia Southern was quickly able to respond, tallying their third off a single up the middle by Tate, putting them up by two yet again, this time with the score at 3-1.
 
Aidan McAskie was able to draw the game even at three apiece with his second home run of the year in the top of the eighth. He sent a ball over the fence in right center for a two-run home run, bringing AJ Martin home who had just reached on a single up in the middle.
 
Tyler Henshaw entered the game for CSU in the bottom of the seventh and helped lock down the Eagles even more than the staff had already been during the evening. During both the eighth and ninth innings, fielding errors by the Bucs with one out allowed the Eagles to get a runner on. He continued to be locked in, pitching out of each of those jams.
 
The game went to extras and CSU had Chandler Tuupo lead off with a single to get on base. After this, the Bucs went down in order, giving the Eagles their chance. They got their first hit, a double, of the night off Henshaw to leadoff the frame and then intentionally walked the next batter, putting runners on first and second. On a pickoff attempt with the count at 2-2, the umpires called Henshaw for a balk, moving each of the runners up a base. On a swing at anything pitch, the Eagles got a high blooped over the infield to score the runner on third and defend their home field.
 
In total, the Buccaneers used four different pitchers, with each being tagged with one earned run allowed. Tait Roberston started the game, throwing the first three innings and struck out four batters. Ryan Cole was the first out of the bullpen, tossing the next 3.0, retiring three by strikeout and not allowing any walks.  Kyle Lewis had the next 0.2 while Henshaw had the final 2.1, collecting three strikeouts and the loss.
 
At the plate, Charleston Southern had 15 batters reach with six hits, four walks and five hit by pitches. McAskie and Martinez reached a team-high three times apiece while Tuupo and Pringle each did twice.
 
Charleston Southern will hit the road again for their next games. They will face Elon for a three game weekend series from Friday-Sunday to continue the stretch of eight consecutive away contests after beginning the year by playing their first 10 at home.