Bucs Drop Series Opener at No. 7 Florida

GAINESVILLE, Fla. – Tyrell Brewer’stwo-run double with the bases loaded in the sixth inning stood as the lone hit for Charleston Southern in their opening day loss to No. 7 Florida on the road.

Charleston Southern (0-1) will look to find the win column in the series’ second tilt tomorrow evening back at Condron Ballpark as first pitch is set for 4:00 p.m.

The Bucs were the first to get on the board, as Ike George drew a one-out walk before stealing second and taking third on a wild pitch to pit himself 90 feet away from serving as the first run of the game. Jaylin Rae then took a ball to center that was deep enough to score George and give Charleston Southern the 1-0 advantage.

Florida (1-0) answered the call in the home-half of the frame, as BT Riopelle came up big with a two-out, three run shot to right field to give the Gators a lead they would not give back.

The Gators would then find another run in the second stanza as Michael Robertson brought Tyler Shelnut around to score with a ball up the middle, and the Florida advantage grew to 4-1. The fourth frame would stand as the next big one for the hosts, as CSU would surrender a walk with the bases loaded before a two-run single brought two more around to score. Shelnut was then responsible for another run in the fifth with a double to left.

Tyrell Brewer would record the lone Charleston Southern hit in the sixth as it came in a big spot. Brewer made the most of his pinch-hit opportunity, recording a two-run single with the bases loaded to bring Rae and Ashton Wilson around to score and make it an 8-3 ballgame. Florida would answer right back in the same inning, scoring four runs of their own to make it 12-3.

The seventh inning saw Riopelle pick up another RBI with a single to right, putting the Gators up double-digits and ending the game early.

Florida starter Brandon Sproat (W, 1-0) gets the win after going 5.2 innings and being charged with three earned on three walks and seven punchies, all without giving up a hit. Philip Abner was the reliever that gave up the hit to Brewer, but the runs were charged to Sproat. Fisher Jameson was called on to get the final four out for Florida.

Zac Robinson (L, 0-1) takes the loss for Charleston Southern, as the righty was charged with four earned on four hits and two walks across two innings. Kaleb Hill saw two innings himself, being hit for three earned on two hits and four walks while Devin Macwatters recorded the final seven outs for the Charleston Southern staff, his line ending with six earned on eight hits.