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Canisius University Athletics

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Vinny Chiarenza makes contact with a ball against Monmouth
Dave Schofield '71
4
Winner Canisius CAN 5-8
2
Charleston Southern CHSO 8-8
Winner
Canisius CAN
5-8
4
Final
2
Charleston Southern CHSO
8-8
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E
Canisius CAN 1 0 0 0 1 1 0 1 0 4 12 1
Charleston Southern CHSO 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 2 5 2

W: Duffy, Matt (3-1) L: COUCH, J. (1-2) S: Kochanski, Brett (1)

15
Winner Canisius CAN 6-8
12
Charleston Southern CHSO 8-9
Winner
Canisius CAN
6-8
15
Final
12
Charleston Southern CHSO
8-9
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 R H E
Canisius CAN 0 0 0 2 3 3 7 15 11 6
Charleston Southern CHSO 5 4 2 0 1 0 0 12 8 6

W: Abramson, Joe (1-0) L: YODER, C. (0-1) S: Peltier, Tom (1)

Game Recap: Baseball |

Baseball Erases 11-Run Deficit to Sweep Charleston Southern

Canisius (6-8) used strong performances by sophomores Max Grant and Matt Duffy in the opening game before erasing an 11-run deficit to earn a 15-12 victory in the nightcap and complete the sweep of Charleston Southern (8-9) Saturday at Nielsen Field at CSU Ballpark in Charleston, S.C.
 
Grant went 4-for-5 with a pair of RBI in the opener, while Duffy allowed two runs on four hits across his eight-inning outing. Duffy struck out nine while issuing just one walk.
 
Game two saw graduate student Vinny Chiarenza go 2-for-5 at the plate with four runs scored and was one of three players with two RBI, joined by classmate Mike Steffan and freshman Josh Niles.
 
GAME ONE RECAP
Canisius and Charleston Southern exchanged runs in the opening frame as Grant singled home Mike DeStefano, who reached third base on a fielding error by the Buccaneers' center fielder. Charleston Southern tied the contest in the home half of the inning on a two-out RBI single by Ajay Sczepkowski.
 
Between the fourth and the beginning of the eighth innings, Duffy retired 13 out of 14 Charleston Southern batters.
 
Canisius regained the lead in the fifth inning when Dylan Vincent was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded. A two-out RBI single by Chiarenza in the sixth plated senior Kyle Kush, increasing the lead to 3-1.
 
Grant's second run-scoring hit came in the eighth, as DeStefano reached on a single. He later advanced to second on a failed pickoff attempt. Charleston Southern's Connor Carter trimmed Canisius' lead in the bottom half of the eighth with an RBI double.
 
Sczepkowski led off the ninth with a double, hoping to kickstart a late-game rally for the Buccaneers. Senior Brett Kochanski shut the door on those aspirations as he set down the next three batters in order to record his first collegiate save for the Golden Griffins.
 
Duffy now has a 3-1 record following his eight-inning performance, which is a season high for the sophomore.
 
Jerry Couch was on the wrong end of the decision for the Buccaneers after allowing six hits and two runs (one earned) in four innings of work. He walked two and struck out six. Daniel Padysak also fanned six in his 3.1 innings of relief.
 
GAME TWO RECAP
Charleston Southern jumped out to an early 5-0 lead after the first, taking advantage of four Canisius errors. The Buccaneers plated four runs in the second and two more in the third to go out ahead 11-0.
 
Freshman Josh Niles reached on a fielding error in the fourth inning, allowing Chiarenza to score Canisius' first run of the contest. An infield single by junior Trevor Henneman enabled Niles to score, making it an 11-2 contest.
 
Another fielding error in the fifth inning allowed Chiarenza to score, setting up a two-run triple by Niles that cut the deficit to 11-5. In the home-half of the inning, a Canisius throwing error enabled a Charleston Southern runner to score.
 
An opposite field, two-run double by Chiarenza in the sixth made it a 12-7 contest before he scored on an RBI groundout by Steffan.
 
The Griffs' seventh-inning rally began as junior Kenny Dodson and freshman Cole Sebastian each drew walks to open the frame before advancing 90 feet on a wild pitch. Henneman and freshman Jackson Strong, the next two batters, also drew walks, plating the first of seven runs in the frame.
 
A sacrifice fly by Grant cut the deficit prior to a bases-loaded walk by Steffan made it 12-11. Graduate student Gibson Krzeminski recorded an RBI pinch-hit single to tie the game. Two runners scored on a fielder's choice by Niles, giving the Griffs a 14-12 lead. The Griffs' final run of the game came on another Buccaneer wild pitch.
 
Junior Tom Peltier closed the door for Canisius in the bottom half of the seventh, earning his first collegiate save.
 
Freshman Joe Abramson earned his first collegiate victory as the southpaw pitched two innings of relief, allowing an unearned run and a hit and striking out one.
 
Connor Yoder was saddled with the loss for Charleston Southern. He was only able to get one out, allowing five runs (two earned), on one hit and walking three batters.
 
Head Coach Matt Mazurek's Postgame Comments
"We got an amazing pitching performance out of Matt Duffy. After the first inning he settled right in and was lights out. Matt continues to impress us each time out with his composure and pitch ability. Max Grant came out swinging, yet again, to provide our offense with confidence and a spark. Overall, we got the hits we needed to extend the lead to get us the win.
 
"There are not enough words to speak on how proud we are of our team for holding steady and overcoming an 11-0 deficit. We have talked this year about never counting ourselves out no matter the score or situation. Game two took a total team effort. We had guys come in and step up that haven't had the chance to do so and we grinded out a full team win. Freshmen Cole Sebastian, Joe Abramson and Jackson Strong came into tough spots and did a great job for us.
 
"The total team effort today – start to finish – was amazing for both games. We are starting to create our identity game-by-game and today were on the character and fight we have in us."
 
GAME NOTES
• Saturday were the first two meetings between Canisius and Charleston Southern on the baseball diamond.
• With his nine strikeouts, Matt Duffy has now recorded eight or more strikeouts in four of his last five outings.
• Grant's four-hit game in the opener was his 18th multi-hit performance in 42 career games.
• DeStefano extended his on-base streak to 14 games after reaching base safely in both contests.
• Freshman Cole Sebastian made his first collegiate start in the night cap, going 1-for-4 with a run scored and a walk drawn.
• Chiarenza scored a career-high four runs in the nightcap. He previously never scored more than two runs in a game while at Canisius.
• Henneman recorded his sixth career multi-hit performance and his first since Feb. 15, 2020, against UMass Lowell.
 
UP NEXT
Canisius and Charleston Southern conclude its three-game series on Sunday with an 11:30 a.m. first pitch from Nielsen Field at CSU Ballpark.
 
For complete coverage of Canisius baseball, please follow @GriffsBaseball on Instagram and Twitter.
 
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