Weekly Recap - April 4-10

A record fell on the track, tennis hosted (and won!) their senior day and the baseball team took another Big South series, this time getting it done on the road.

Jermal McClendon has been named this week’s CSU Athlete of the Week after setting a school record and winning the 400m hurdles at the Duke Invitational.

McClendon ran 52.10 in the hurdles to break Doug Hazel’s mark of 52.50, which he set back in 1997. The time qualified McClendon for USATF Junior Nationals, and marked the top time run in the Big South this year. It is the second school record that McClendon has put his name on, tying the indoor high jump record, clearing 2.04m (6-8.25).

Also Nominated - Patrick Dolan (Baseball), Brook Pletcher (W. Tennis)

April 4 – Softball vs. Coastal Carolina – W, 9-1, 6-2
Game one took just six innings to decide, as Trea Steele knocked in a run on a bases-loaded single to put CSU up 9-1. Kimberly Hobbs pitched extremely well, getting the complete-game victory with five hits and one run given up. More importantly, she finally got the run support she needed, and then some. CSU had 12 hits on the day with 11 singles and a triple by Jana Matthews, who scored three times. Jessica Brock and Stephanie Sbardella each had a pair of RBI, while that pair, along with Steele and Erin Kegley, each had multiple hits in the first game. In game two, CSU used a four-run second inning to give Morgan Dowdy a cushion in the circle, as she finished off the double-header sweep by giving up just two runs on six hits. CSU had just five hits, but took advantage of three walks and two CCU errors as they scored six runs. Megan Lombard had two hits and four RBI on the day, while Hayes Holdsworth scored a pair of runs.

April 5 – Softball @ South Carolina – L, 12-4
A six-run fifth inning pushed South Carolina past CSU a day after the DH sweep. Trailing big, CSU cut the lead to 6-4, but the game ended early as they failed to stop the bleeding in the fifth inning. Jana Matthews and Jessica Brock each hit a home run, making half of the team’s four hits, bombs. Trea Steele had scored a run and had another RBI, while Melissa Adams accounted for the team’s fourth run.

April 5 – Baseball @ Georgia – L, 8-1
The CSU defense held #30 Georgia at bay for a while, including four scoreless innings, but the offensive rhythm was not there as the Bucs managed just one run. Derek Smith led the Buccaneer effort, going 1-for-3 and scoring the team’s lone run. Walt Quattlebaum went 1-for-4 to earn the RBI on Smith’s run, while Jaren Sustar went 2-for-4 with three stolen bases. Ali Williams got the start and took the loss, giving up five runs and six hits while striking out two in 2.0 innings. Brennan Dorsett came in to relieve Williams, and gave up two runs off of five hits in 5.0 innings. Dorsett also struck out three and walked none.

April 4-5 – W. Golf @ World Golf Village Intercollegiate – 8th
The tournament was cut short due to rain, putting CSU in eighth place with a 646 team score. Torey Johnson had an excellent tournament, finishing 12th overall, while all five Bucs finished in the top 50 of the field. Daytona State won the tournament after shooting an impressive 611.

April 6 – W. Tennis @ #68 UNC Wilmington – L, 6-1
Once again, Olga Makhova did what she was supposed to and led the team from the #1 singles spot. Unfortunately, she was the lone victor on the day as CSU faced another nationally-ranked team. All six singles matches went down in straight sets, including Makhova’s 6-3, 6-1 victory.

April 6 – Baseball @ Georgia – L, 3-2
CSU scored a pair of runs in the fifth inning and looked like they would get back even or take the lead, but five UGA relievers combined to shut down the Bucs, striking out six and giving up just three hits. Jaren Sustar and Brian Welch each had a pair of hits and a run scored in the contest, while Cody Austin and Alex Thomasovich tallied the RBIs on the day.

April 6-9 – W. Track @ Clyde Littlefield Texas Relays
Only one Lady Buccaneer took to the track at Texas, as Patria Norman competed in the heptathlon in preparation for the 2011 Big South Championships. Norman finished the two-day competition in 21st place with 4490 points.

April 8-9 – Track @ Duke Invitational
There were plenty of strong performances, including a fifth-place finish by Tamisha Foster in the triple jump. Deona Jones finished six in the long jump as CSU placed three in the top-15 of the event. On the men’s side, Rozzie Johnson and the 4x400m relay team finished fourth, while Jermal McClendon won the 400m hurdles and broke a 14-year-old school record in the process. The freshman already tied the indoor school record in the high jump.

April 8-9 – Softball @ Liberty – W, 6-2, L, 9-1, L, 4-1
CSU scored more in the second inning of game one (5) than they did the rest of the three-game series, dropping the Big South series 2-1 to Liberty. Morgan Dowdy earned the victory in game one, while Erin Kegley had a pair of hits, including a double. In game two, Kegley again posted two hits, but only Courtney Konyk crossed the plate as Liberty scored nine runs on nine hits. Trying to salvage the series, CSU cut the LU lead to 2-1 in the fourth inning of game three, but surrendered two runs in the fifth to fall 4-1. Dowdy took the loss, while Hobbs came in and closed the door, giving up just one hit in the final inning of the game.

April 8-10 – Baseball @ Gardner-Webb – L, 11-0, W, 5-2, W, 6-3
The Bucs did not get the start they wanted on the road against GWU, despite a pair of hits from Nick Chinners, who returned to the lineup after missing five games with a hand injury. Stew Brase (3-4) took the loss, giving up eight total runs and five earned runs off of eight hits in 3.0 innings. Kyle Ward threw 3.0 innings in relief, giving up two earned runs and striking out two batters. The Bucs rebounded from the loss to take the series, sparked by Patrick Dolan’s nine strikeout performance on Saturday. Charlie McCready came in and closed the game out, continuing to drop his ERA by not giving up a run. Derek Smith got it done on Sunday with two runs and two RBI, while McCready came back into the game and earned the victory pitching 1.1 innings, after Jesse Cadenhead left after 4.2 innings and giving up three runs. Ali Williams earned the save, going 1.1 innings without giving up a hit.

April 9 – W. Tennis vs. Campbell – W, 5-2
CSU maintained its .500 record with a victory on senior day, honoring the seniors in the process as both seniors (Brooke Pletcher and Angie Torres) were able to pick up singles victories on the day. Pletcher also combined with freshman Alia Nour to win their doubles match. CSU won five of the six singles matches, including straight-set victories by Olga Makhova (#1), Nour (#4), Alexandra Walters (#5) and Torres (#6).

April 10 – Softball @ Longwood – L, 7-5, L, 3-1
Their fourth and fifth games in three days, CSU dropped a pair of games at Longwood, despite out-hitting the Lancers in both games. The Bucs had four extra base hits, and nine different Bucs had a hit, but the home team found just enough run support to take the victory. In game two, it was a homer, an RBI single and a wild pitch that allowed the Lancers to take the 3-1 victory after CSU and Morgan Dowdy limited them to just three hits on the day. Megan Lombard had two hits and scored the team’s only run on a homerun to start the game.

What’s coming up?
April 11-12 – M. Golf @ Wofford Invitational
April 11-13 – W. Golf @ Big South Championship
April 12 – W. Tennis @ East Carolina – 2 p.m.
April 12 – Baseball vs. College of Charleston – 3 p.m.
April 13 – Softball @ Coastal Carolina – 4 p.m.
April 13 – Baseball @ College of Charleston – 6 p.m.
April 15 – Baseball vs. VMI – 2 p.m.
April 15 – W. Tennis @ Coastal Carolina – 2 p.m.
April 16 – M. Track and Field @ Chanticleer Classic
April 16 – Softball @ Winthrop (DH) – 12/2 p.m.
April 16 – Baseball vs. VMI – 2 p.m.
April 16 – Football – Spring Game – 2 p.m.
April 17 – Softball @ Winthrop – 1 p.m.
April 17 – Baseball vs. VMI – 2 p.m.

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