Baseball sweeps twinbill, takes series Thursday at UNC Asheville

By: CSU Sports Media

Charleston Southern used a ninth-inning rally in game one then controlled from start-to-finish in the nightcap to take a pair of games 3-2 and 8-2 from UNC Asheville Thursday afternoon at Greenwood Field in Big South baseball action.

The win secures a second-straight series victory for CSU (16-26, 6-11 Big South) with a chance at a sweep while UNC Asheville (12-25, 7-10 Big South) has dropped three-straight.

Junior righty Cam Weinberger picked up his second-straight Big South win tossing 5.0 scoreless frames allowing just one hit and one walk while striking out a pair. His efforts on the mound followed brilliant performances from Jaret Bennett and RJ Petit in the first contest holding UNC Asheville to just one earned run despite multiple scoring chances in the late stages.

The win also gave CSU their third-straight series victory over the Bulldogs extending their stronghold on the all-time series 54-36 since the two began playing in in the 1991 season.

Game 1 – CSU 3, AVL 2

Junior southpaw Jaret Bennett kept the Bucs within striking distance tossing 6.0 frames of just one earned run baseball before freshman righty RJ Petit slammed the door shut with 3.0 scoreless innings, striking out the final three batters he faced to claim the comeback win.

UNC Asheville scored first on a CSU error in the second inning and held a 1-0 margin before a rally in the fifth tied it 1-1. The Bulldogs would reclaim the lead 2-1 in the sixth ending Bennett’s day with just one walk and six strikeouts.

CSU had one more rally left in the tank as Josh Litchfield’s RBI single with nobody out in the top of the ninth gave the Bucs their first lead of the day at 3-2, completing the comeback. Petit closed the door with three more punch outs giving CSU a key, momentum-swinging game one victory.

Game 2 – CSU 8, AVL 2

Charleston Southern took the momentum from the ninth inning of game one and rolled to an 8-2 game two victory to claim the series and doubleheader sweep. Junior righty Cam Weinberger continued the strong pitching efforts from the Bucs with5.0 scoreless innings striking out a pair and walking one man for his second-straight conference win.

Dante Blakeney paced the CSU offense in game two with a three-hit day while freshman designated hitter Max Ryerson and junior shortstop Javon Martin each added a pair of knocks. CSU took advantage of four Bulldog errors scoring a run in the first without a hit and one in the third before opening the contest with three-more in the fifth and seventh for an 8-0 lead.

UNC Asheville would score two in the seventh, but never go the tying run to the plate in the late stages.

Ryerson also had a team-high two RBI’s in the nightcap while Ryan Stoudemire and Jack DeLongchamps each scored twice.

Up Next

CSU and UNC Asheville conclude the series with game three and the Bucs looking for their first sweep of the season. A decision will be made on Friday morning on when the third and final game of the series will be played.

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