Charleston Southern University’s baseball team experienced its first loss of the 2026 season on Wednesday night, falling to UNCW in an 11-inning game that ended 11-10. The defeat came after Charleston Southern tied the game in the ninth inning but gave up a solo home run in the top of the eleventh.
UNCW took an early lead with a two-run home run in the first inning. Charleston Southern responded in their half of the inning when Alex Marot hit a three-run home run, bringing in Ean Czech and Chandler Tuupo, giving CSU a brief 3-2 advantage.
The Seahawks regained control in the second inning with a solo homer and another run scored on a wild pitch. In the fourth, Trevor Lucas hit his second home run for UNCW, adding two more runs. A solo shot by Lucas again in the fifth made it 7-3.
Charleston Southern struggled offensively through five innings, recording only one hit before facing UNCW’s bullpen. The Bucs began to rally when Tuupo was hit by a pitch and Marot walked. After two outs, Lucas Pringle singled to score Tuupo; an errant throw allowed Marot to also score. Gavin Speirs then homered on the next pitch, tying the game at 7-7.
UNCW pulled ahead again in the eighth with Aiden Evans singling past third base and Kevin Jones driving in two more runs with another single, making it 10-7.
In their half of the eighth, Caden Wolfley was hit by a pitch and Garrison Barile singled. A double steal led to Wolfley scoring after an error on a throw to third base.
The Buccaneers forced extra innings by scoring twice more in the ninth: Tuupo singled through left side to bring Collins home and Barile’s sacrifice fly scored Michael Rogers for a 10-10 tie.
After both teams were held scoreless in the tenth inning, UNCW started off the eleventh with a solo home run that proved decisive.
For Charleston Southern, each player who recorded one of their five hits also drove in at least one RBI. Tuupo led with three RBIs while Speirs added two. The team drew five walks during the game.
On pitching duties for CSU: Kale Hopke started and went 1.2 innings; Zach Swichweh pitched 2.1 innings striking out four; Christian Krause covered two frames allowing one run; Corbin Payne threw for over an inning but surrendered three runs before being replaced; Drew Dawson handled five outs; Hayden Henry finished out from late into extras but gave up what would be UNCW’s winning homer.
Charleston Southern is scheduled to play Brown this weekend as part of their current seven-game homestand.
