Charleston Southern’s hopes to continue into the postseason died after a 14-2 loss against No. 1 USC Upstate in the Big South Championship on Saturday afternoon at Truist Point Stadium. The Bucs battled until 1 a.m. to beat No. 2 High Point the evening before, just a few hours before Saturday’s 1:06 p.m. first pitch. The loss ended the Bucs season, and chance at a bid into the NCAA Tournament.
Big South Tournament
Game 2
No. 2 High Point 15, No. 3 Charleston Southern 14 (10 innings)
HIGH POINT— A sacrifice-fly in the bottom of the ninth from Landen Johnson tied the wild game at 14. An inning later, DH Jackson Melton scored on a wild pitch thrown by Kyle Lewis to cap a 9-run comeback victory for the Panthers in extras on Thursday.
After the top half of the sixth, CSU led 14-6 but fell 15-14. Bucs DH Kaden Smith went 3-6 with a double, home run and three RBI. First baseman Chandler Tuupo and third baseman Blake Edgmon totaled two hits and three RBI each.
Game 3
#3 Charleston Southern 13, #5 Winthrop 12 (11 innings)
HIGH POINT—The 11-inning clash concluded in a triumphant 13-12 victory Friday afternoon when Bucs second baseman A.J. Martin was hit by a pitch which scored the winning run. Two innings earlier the Bucs tied the game at 12 in the bottom of the ninth when Aidan McAskie’s RBI ground out scored Kain Collins.
Bucs reliever Lewis shook off his previous outing and pitched 3.1 scoreless innings of relief for the Bucs and received the win. Smith knocked in three more runs on four hits and doubled twice.
Game 4
#3 Charleston Southern at #2 High Point
HIGH POINT— CSU starter Joel Rodriguez allowed six runs in the first, but the Bucs offense picked him up and outscored the Panthers 18-2 after the first in the 18-8 victory. Fresh off an electric 11-inning game hours beforehand, Charleston Southern dominated High Point late into the night. The 9:36 p.m. first pitch caused the conclusion to be well after 1 A.M. with a Championship game less than twelve hours later.
Bucs reliever Camden Chalfant pitched phenomenally in relief, allowing 1 run over 6 innings and striking out seven. Center fielder Lew Rice smashed a grand slam in the third, enroute to his three hit, eight RBI evening. The Bucs victory matched them with No. 1 USC Upstate for the Big South Championship, and an automatic bid into the NCAA Tournament.
Game 5 (Championship Game)
#1 USC Upstate 14, #3 Charleston Southern 1
HIGH POINT— A sluggish start continued through Saturday afternoon as the top-seeded Spartans ran through No. 3-seed Charleston Southern 14-2, enroute to the Big South Championship victory. Five different Bucs relievers allowed two-or-more runs while the CSU offense collected a measly five hits. Rice smacked three singles and backup catcher Gavin Bogdanchik smashed a solo shot in the ninth.
The loss stings, but the season was remarkable for CSU. The team set records in a multitude of categories, including homers, RBI’s and runs among others. The 31-22 record tied the second-most in program history, and first time with 30 or more wins since 2000.