Bucs fall to cross-town rival Cougars 28-9

CHARLESTON, S.C. – Matt Still and Brandon McKinney both hit home runs, but the Charleston Southern baseball team fell 28-9 to College of Charleston Wednesday afternoon at CSU Ballpark.

The Buccaneers (9-13, 0-2 Big South Conference) belted out 12 hits in the contest, but a 12-run second for the Cougars (18-5, 4-2 Southern Conference) was enough to keep the home squad at bay.

CofC outhit CSU 25-12, and committed just one error to three from the Bucs.

College of Charleston took the early lead with two runs in the first, and used grand slams by both Matt Leeds and Rob Kral in the second to pull ahead 14-0 after two innings.

Jose Rodriguez went yard in the third to give CofC a 15-0 lead, but Charleston Southern answered in the home half of the frame.

Jon Matthews led off the inning with a double down the left field line, and Still drove him in with his fourth homer of the year.

The Cougars tacked on three in the fourth, but Charleston Southern was able to answer with four in the fifth. Brantley Meier and Matthews led off the frame with walks, and Still singled to drive home Meier. Walt Quattlebaum singled to right center and brought home both Matthews and Still.

After CofC added 10 combined insurance runs in the seventh and eighth, McKinney sent his first homer of the season over the left field wall in the bottom of the ninth, which brought home Kyle Ward and Jaren Sustar.

Meier, Matthews, Still, McKinney and Quattlebaum all had two hits to lead CSU. Still and McKinney each recorded three runs batted in, and Matthews, Still and McKinney all scored twice.

The Buccaneers used eight pitchers, with Jesse Cadenhead (2-3) getting the start. He lasted just one inning after allowing eight runs (seven earned) on seven hits.

Charlie McCready, Corey Deighan, Tyler Vick, George Schaefer, Matt Walker, Cam Sessions and Quattlebaum all saw time on the mound for Charleston Southern.

Kral, Rodriguez and Jamie Holler each collected three hits for the Cougars. Kral led the way with five RBI, and Baker Knox scored five times.

Matt Pegler (2-0) allowed six runs on eight hits in five innings on the mound for CofC. Jake Zokan, Josh Salay, Cameron Holmes and Robert Jeroszko all pitched an inning of relief. Jeroszko was touched up for three runs.

Charleston Southern will return to action with a three-game set against Big South foe Virginia Military Institute March 26-28 in Lexington, Va.