CHARLESTON, S.C. - Charleston Southern hits the road again this weekend as the Buccaneers make the trip up I-26 to Greenwood Baseball Field and UNC Asheville for a Big South series. The Bucs and Bulldogs will play three games over the series as they face off for the second time in the 2021 spring season under the Big South's 40-Flex-10 model. First pitch on Thursday's game is set for 7:30 p.m., while Friday's doubleheader is set to start at 2 p.m.

Weekend Schedule
Game One – Thursday, April 22, 2021
Charleston Southern at UNC Asheville
7:30 p.m. * Asheville, N.C. * Greenwood Baseball Field * Live Stats * ESPN+
Projected Starters: CSU RHP R.J. Petit (3-4, 2.65 ERA) vs. AVL RHP Dawson Salter (0-1, 7.50 ERA)

Game Two – Friday, April 23, 2021
Charleston Southern at UNC Asheville
2 p.m. * Asheville, N.C. * Greenwood Baseball Field * Live Stats * ESPN+
Projected Starters: CSU LHP Sam Massey (1-1, 4.29 ERA vs. AVL LHP Jacob Edwards (2-5, 5.85 ERA)

Game Three – Friday, April 23, 2021
Charleston Southern at UNC Asheville
45 minutes after first game * Asheville, N.C. * Greenwood Baseball Field * Live Stats * ESPN+
Projected Starters: CSU RHP Daniel Padysak (3-3, 3.74 ERA) vs. AVL RHP Trey Jernigan (0-1, 5.06 ERA)

CSU Game Notes Against UNC Asheville

Schedule Change
Due to the chance of rain on Saturday, this weekend's series between the Buccaneers and the Bulldogs has been moved up a day. Originally scheduled for a Friday single game and Saturday doubleheader, the series has moved to a single game on Thursday at 7:30 p.m. and a doubleheader on Friday with the first game starting at 2 p.m.

It marks the second time this season the Bucs have had a change in schedule. The first came against Gardner-Webb due to a COVID-19 pause from the Runnin' Bulldogs as the series was pushed back a day in Boiling Springs, N.C.

Back on the Road
Charleston Southern is back on the road this weekend as the Bucs start just their third road trip of the 2021 spring season. The Bucs' first trip of the season was an eight-game swing that featured stops at Presbyterian (twice), Gardner-Webb, and Winthrop, while their second road trip encompassed treks to Campbell and South Carolina.

The Bucs have posted a 4-8 record overall on the road with their lone series win away from Nielsen Field at the CSU Ballpark coming against Gardner-Webb on March 20-21. CSU is currently on a three-game losing streak on the road after falling in the final two games of the series against Campbell and dropping the midweek contest to then-No. 11 South Carolina.

Bucs in Big South Play
Charleston Southern sits just outside the top four in the Big South standings this season through the first 24 games of the conference season this spring. The Bucs are currently tied for fifth in the standings with a 12-12 record in Big South competition sitting even with Radford (10-10) with a .500 record in conference play.

Campbell (14-7) leads the way, while Gardner-Webb (14-8) and USC Upstate (15-9) are both in the hunt for the top overall seed in the conference. Presbyterian (9-7) sits fourth overall in the conference standings. The top four teams in the Big South standings will advance to the conference's postseason tournament held at Segra Stadium in Fayetteville, N.C. on May 27-29.

Big South 40-Flex-10
The Big South Conference announced prior to the start of the season that the schedule would be a "40-flex-10" model this season featuring 40 conference games, while allowing for up to 10 nonconference contests on the year. The Bucs only play single series against High Point, USC Upstate, Campbell, and Radford this season, while matching up against the other conference foes multiple times on the year.

CSU begins its second swing through competition over the next three weeks as the Bucs host Gardner-Webb (Apr. 30-May 1), Winthrop (May 7-8), and Presbyterian (May 11). The Bucs will close out the year against Radford (May 14-15) and Longwood (May 20-21).

­­Recapping the Midweek
Winthrop jumped to an early lead and held off a Charleston Southern comeback attempt late in the contest as the Buccaneers fell to the visiting Eagles at Nielsen Field at the CSU Ballpark on Tuesday night, 13-5.

Houston Parker paced the Bucs with a two-hit performance, while Reid Hardwick and Dylan Stewart posted extra-base hits as CSU fell to Winthrop for the second time in the spring season. John Sendziak suffered the loss in his first start on the season after surrendering four runs (three earned) over the opening inning. Hunter McIntosh, Jack Dungan, Christian Baker, Jordan Bridges, Sam Hunt, and Bradyn Kail all saw time on the mound for the Bucs in the game.

Recapping Last Weekend
Charleston Southern took two of the three contests from USC Upstate this past weekend as the Buccaneers moved back over .500 in Big South play. The Bucs fell in the opener to the Spartans on Friday night, but rallied their way back with two wins in Saturday's doubleheader to move to 12-11 in conference play on the year.

CSU rode the talented arm of R.J. Petit in the contest as the redshirt sophomore went seven strong innings allowing five hits and two runs (one earned), while striking out four. USC Upstate countered with ace Jordan Marks as the junior went the distance in the complete game shutout scattering just four hits while striking out nine as the Bucs fell 2-0 in the Friday night opener.

Home runs and strong pitching powered Charleston Southern to a doubleheader sweep over USC Upstate on Saturday afternoon as the Buccaneers topped the visiting Spartans 5-4 and 6-0 at Nielsen Field at the CSU Ballpark.

The Bucs bounced back after falling in Friday night's opener to take both games in the weekend series against the Spartans in CSU's lone series against Upstate this season. CSU utilized home runs from Sam Trend-Beacom and Connor Aldrich in the first contest, while Kyle Sandstrom and Dylan Stewart went deep in game two as the Bucs posted a four-home run series. Bradyn Kail and Daniel Padysak picked up the Bucs' wins on the day, while Sandstrom added his second save of the year.

Hey, I Know You
The Bucs took two of three from UNC Asheville to win their second conference series in as many weekends as CSU bounced back from a Friday night loss to the Bulldogs to sweep Saturday's doubleheader.

Houston Parker (.500 BA, 1 HR, 4 RBI) swung the hot bat for the Bucs over the series as the junior infielder connected on hits over every contest of the week. Johnny Oliveira added a pair of RBI triples in the final game of Saturday's doubleheader, while the Bucs' pitching staff featured strong performances on the mound by Krishna Raj and Daniel Padysak in the pair of wins.

UNC Asheville took advantage of an eight-run fifth inning in the opening game of the weekend as the Bulldogs took the series opener on Friday night at Nielsen Field at the CSU Ballpark. The Bucs bounced back with a 15-5 win in the second game of the series as CSU exploded for 13 runs over a five-inning span, while Raj pitched into the sixth inning in picking up his first win in the Blue & Gold.

Padysak was on point in the final game of the series with the freshman right-hander going 7.1 innings and carrying a four-hitter before being removed late in the contest. Dante Blakeney connected on a two-run, pinch-hit home run, while Oliveira's pair of RBI triples highlighted a Buccaneers offensive explosion that featured 24 run and 27 hits over the final day of the series.

All-Time Against UNC Asheville
The Charleston Southern – UNC Asheville series is one of the most extensive to date for the Buccaneers as the series runs all the way back to 1988 when CSU topped the Bulldogs, 7-5, at a neutral site tournament. The Bucs won the first five matchups in the series and six of the first seven games. Overall, CSU leads the all-time series, 57-40 against the Bulldogs.

CSU recently won six of eight against the Bulldogs, including claiming the series wins over UNC Asheville in each of the last four matchups. In their previous matchup in 2019 in Asheville, the Bucs claimed the series win with 8-2 and 3-2 victories in a doubleheader at Asheville's Greenwood Field.

R.J. Petit slammed the door with a three-inning relief win in the Bucs' 3-2 win in the opener against the Bulldogs. The nightcap featured a three-hit day by Dante Blakeney, while the Bucs took advantage of four UNC Asheville errors in the 8-2 win.

Neither team has been able to post a dominant run against each other in the all-time series with the longest winning streak by either side equaling a five-game stretch. The Bucs' longest run came back in 2000 when CSU swept the series against the Bulldogs, and then topped them twice in the conference tournament.

About UNC Asheville
UNC Asheville was selected ninth overall in the conference's preseason poll as voted on by the Big South's head coaches. The Bulldogs received 24 points overall in the poll after posting a 5-11 record in the COVID-shortened 2020 season.

The Bulldogs currently sit ninth overall in the Big South standings with a 10-20 overall record and 9-13 mark in conference play. Asheville has rounded into form with conference series wins over Campbell, Radford, Presbyterian, and Winthrop over their last four Big South weekends with three coming inside the friendly confines of Greenwood Baseball Field.

Brandon Lankford continues to pace the Bulldogs at the plate with a .345 batting average over Asheville's 30 games. He is tied with Dominic Freeberger (.312 BA) for the team lead with 39 hits, while pacing UNC Asheville with 10 home runs and 26 RBI. Freeberger leads the team with seven doubles and two triples while adding four home runs and 20 RBI.

Freeberger doubles up as Asheville's most effective reliever on the season with a 1.13 ERA over eight appearances while adding two saves. Overall, Asheville has relied on a number of pitchers this season with nine pitchers recording double-digit appearances on the year, while five more have at least eight stints on the mound this season.

Bucs Among Big South Leaders
Charleston Southern continues to put up big numbers in Big South Conference play as the Buccaneers have placed multiple players among the leaders in the conference-only statistics on the season.

• Hits – Houston Parker (27, T-7th)
• RBI – Connor Aldrich (18, 8th)
• Doubles – Houston Parker (6, T-9th)
• Triples – Johnny Oliveira (3, T-1st), Dylan Stewart (3, T-1st)
• Stolen Bases – Kyle Sandstrom (9, 1st)
• ERA – R.J. Petit (2.12, 3rd), Daniel Padysak (3.16, 6th)
• Opposing Batting Avg – R.J. Petit (.222, T-4th), Daniel Padysak (.250, 10th)
• Innings Pitched – R.J. Petit (46.2, 2nd), Daniel Padysak (42.2, 3rd)
• Strikeouts – R.J. Petit (44, 3rd), Daniel Padysak (35, 5th)
• Appearances – Jordan Bridges (10, T-2nd), John Sendziak (9, T-5th)

Coming Up on the Schedule
Charleston Southern dives into Big South play as CSU is scheduled to remain in conference competition throughout the remainder of the 2021 spring season.

Next Five Series

• April 30 – May 1 vs. Gardner-Webb
• May 7-8 vs. Winthrop
• May 11 vs. Presbyterian
• May 14-15 at Radford
• May 20-21 at Longwood

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