It took 11 innings, but the Charleston Southern Buccaneers pulled off the sweep against the Hofstra Pride winning Sunday 8-7.
The first inning showed that this was not going to be a pitcher’s duel. Hofstra got the scoring started with three runs, thanks to a RBI single from Mikey Riesner and a two-run single by Parker Quinn. The three-run lead was not a comfortable one because Charleston Southern answered with seven runs against Pride starter Teddy Cillis, two of which came on a home run by catcher Mike Sconzo. Cillis would only go two-thirds of an inning before being pulled for Chris Weiss.
Weiss would go on to pitch three and a third scoreless innings in relief. Gjon Ljucovic, Seamus Brazill and James Beasley followed up on Weiss each throwing one scoreless inning.
It remained 7-3 until the top of the seventh inning when freshman centerfielder Vinnie Costello hit a solo shot over the left field wall.
The comeback did not stop there for the Pride. In the top of the eighth inning, with the bases loaded, freshman Rob Weissheier pinch-hit for Tom Archer and drew a walk to cut the deficit to 7-5. Costello would double home two more runs to tie the game in the next at-bat.
Both teams failed to drive in baserunners in the ninth and 10th innings.
In the 11th inning, the Buccaneers centerfielder walked and advanced to second base on a throwing error in a pickoff attempt by the Pride’s John Ryan. The next batter, Bucs third baseman Jason Miller, hit a walk off single to center to close the sweep.
Despite not allowing an earned run over three and a third innings of work, Ryan would pick up the loss for the Pride.
Costello, Riesner and first baseman Nick Bottari each tallied two hits. Costello also had three RBIs while designated hitter Parker Quinn tallied two and Weissheier and Riesner tallied one each. Pride third baseman David Leiderman and right fielder Steven Foster racked up a stolen base a piece.
With the loss, the Pride falls to 2-8 on the season. Hofstra hosts the New York Institute of Technology in the home opener Wednesday at 3 p.m.
