CHARLESTON – Charleston Southern had their undefeated start to the 2026 season come to an end on Wednesday evening to UNCW. After a comeback in the bottom of the ninth, a solo home run in the top of the eleventh proved to be the difference with the visitors claiming the 11-10 victory.
 
UNCW was the first to get on the scoreboard using a two-run home run to jump out to a 2-0 lead. In the bottom half of the inning, Alex Marot had a three-run home run to left field that scored Ean Czech and Chandler Tuupo and gave CSU their lone lead of the day at 3-2.
 
In the second, the Seahawks fought back, tallying two runs to regain the lead. They led the inning off with a solo home run and then had someone advance the final 90 feet from third on a wild pitch. In the fourth, Trevor Lucas got his second home run of the evening with a two run over the fence in left field to push the scoreline to 6-3 and a solo shot in the fifth moved it to 7-3.
 
After just one hit through the first five innings for the Bucs, UNCW entered their first bullpen arm of the day to start the inning. He hit Tuupo and walked Marot to begin the frame and retired the next two batters he faced. Lucas Pringle drove a single to the outfield that scored Tuupo and on the throw to the plate, the ball went to the backstop allowing Marot to round third and score as well. On the first pitch of the next at bat, Gavin Speirs sent a ball over the fence in right center to score Pringle and bring the game level at 7-7.
 
A single by UNCW's Aiden Evans in the eighth broke the tie with a single past third base. They tallied another two in the frame with Kevin Jones having a two RBI single to push their lead to 10-7.
 
In the eighth, Charleston Southern had Caden Wolfley lead off the inning by getting hit by a pitch followed by a single from Garrison Barile to put runners on first and second. During the next at bat, the Bucs ran a double steal and, on the throw, down to third, it went to the outfield, allowing Wolfley to score.
 
The Buccaneers continued to fight, scoring two runs in the bottom of the ninth to force extra innings. They scratched the first across with Tuupo singling through the left side to score Collins and later had a sacrifice fly by Barile bring Michael Rogers home and the game level at 10 apiece.
 
After a scoreless 10^th, UNCW led off the 11^th with a solo home run to centerfield to regain the lead at 11-10.
 
As a team, they had five hits on the day with each player that had one also registering an RBI. Tuupo led the team with three RBIs and Speirs added two. They also drew five walks as a squad.
 
Kale Hopke had the start and threw the first 1.2 innings and was followed by Zach Swichweh who had the next 2.1 frames and struck out four batters while allowing two hits and two earned runs. Christian Krause had the fifth and sixth, allowing one run off one hit. Corbin Payne was the next out of the bullpen and threw 1.1 and after retiring all three faced in the seventh, allowed three runs in the eighth before getting pulled. Drew Dawson collected the next five outs and allowed a pair of hits. Hayden Henry was the final pitcher used in the 10^th inning allowing just one hit and then a solo homer in the 11^th.
 
The Buccaneers are back in action this weekend for a series against Brown. The three games will mark the end of the seven-game homestand that they have been in.