Sixth-inning rally sinks Bucs in season opener

CSU Sports Media

La Salle used a four-run sixth inning to spoil Charleston Southern’s home opener Friday night behind a three-run home run from first baseman Ben Faso before the Explorers closed it out 6-3 from Nielsen Field at CSU Ballpark.

Both starting pitchers matched zeros across the first four innings before Charleston Southern (0-1) scratched across one in the fifth, but a quick four-run rally capped-off by a Ben Faso home run to left field proved to be enough for La Salle (1-0) to steal a win.

CSU’s senior righty Tyler Weekley had 5.1 innings of no-hit baseball to begin the season, but a hit batter and error on a pickoff attempt got the wheels spinning for the visiting Explorers. Quentin Brown drove home the tying run before a Nick O’Day hit-by-pitch set up the game-winning three-run homer.

Weekley finished the night with a hard-luck loss allowing four runs, three earned across 6.0 innings and striking out six La Salle batters.

On the other side of the diamond, La Salle righty Matt Holt countered with 6.0 innings of one-run ball while striking out eight Buccaneer hitters and sprinkling five hits.

CSU had a late rally of their own scoring two runs in the bottom of the seventh on three Explorer errors, but couldn’t push across the tying run. La Salle scored two more in the top of the ninth to extend it back to 6-3 and Connor Hinchliffe closed it out with 2.1 shutout innings.

Up Next
CSU and La Salle return to the diamond Saturday afternoon in the second game of the series with the Bucs seeking a win on their home field. First pitch from Nielsen Field at CSU Ballpark is slated for 4 p.m.

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