Wilson’s Single in the Eighth Lifts Charleston Southern over Kansas

CHARLESTON, S.C. – Charleston Southern continued with its power five success Tuesday night, topping Kansas 5-3 at Nielsen Field after a two-out single from Ashton Wilson in the bottom of the eighth plated the two go-ahead runs. The win comes just two days after a big win on the road at Georgia to make two wins over power five opponents in as many tries for the Bucs.

Charleston Southern (7-10) got things started early as Kieran Davis roped a ball to right center to score Ike George in the first frame to open the scoring. The second frame saw much of the same as Ashton Wilson singled through the right side to score Michael Gibson after Gibson belted a triple at the base of the wall in right center.

Kansas (7-7) waited until the fourth frame to have a response, but it was a big one as Collier Cranford took an outside pitch with two strikes and two outs the other way over the right field wall to tie things up at two, apiece.

The Bucs would retake the lead in the fifth as Tyrell Brewer doubled to right field to score Jaylin Rae, again with two outs in the frame. Charleston Southern would take a 3-2 advantage, but the back-and-forth affair would continue to trend.

Kansas answered right back in the next frame as Luke Leto’s ground ball to short with the bases loaded was enough for the Jayhawks to tie the game as Janson Reeder would come around to score. The biggest play of the night came in the top of the frame as well, though, as Brewer kept things where they were out with a fantastic grab in right with two outs.

Things would stay knotted at three until the bottom of the eighth as Wilson would again come up huge for the Bucs. The first two CSU hitters were retired in the frame, but Connor Aldrich’s single up the middle started the momentum and it was continued after Bryce Brock reached after getting hit by a pitch. Wilson then laced a ball to left that was enough to score both Aldrich and Brock and that would be all Charleston Southern would need.

Kaleb Hill (2-1) gets the win for Charleston Southern after coming on in to start the eighth and get the final six outs of the contest, giving up just one hit. Johnny Alkire got the start for the Bucs and went a solid 2.2 innings, not allowing a run and surrendering just three hits. Ryan Daugherty was charged with the three earned on three hits, and Dylan Matsuoka was called on to get six outs as well, holding the Jayhawks scoreless in those two frames.

Thaniel Trumper (L, 0-2) takes the loss for Kansas as he was charged with the two runs that came around to score in the eighth. Ethan Bradford got the start for the Jayhawks, going 2.2 innings and surrendering seven hits and two earned.

UP NEXT

The two programs return to Nielsen Field for the second of two scheduled for the series tomorrow, as the action is set for a 5:00 p.m. first pitch.

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