The visiting Crichton Cardinals struck early, as David Romain knotted a long ball over the right center fencing to take a first-inning 1-0 advantage.

It would take the Buccaneers until the third inning to retaliate on the scoreboard, as Rusty Cagle singled through the left side on an 1-2 count, sparking the CBU comeback. After stretching his count to 3-2, the hot-hitting Wes Hoover roped an RBI-single through the box, scoring Cagle. After a Brian DeJean walk, Tommy Hiegel would step to plate with the bases loaded, and the 6-3 freshman left fielder responded with a two-RBI line drive single to centerfield, capping a three-run, three-hit third inning.

Cardinal’s starting pitcher, Nathan Kopszyawa, would struggle to find control in the bottom of the fourth, as the 6-6-sophomore hurler pegged Latarius Harris for the second time in the ball game. After a Joey Perry sacrifice, Kopszyawa would surrender back-to-back walks, loading the bases for Jason Whitehead. A Crichton balk would score Harris, while on the next pitch a Whitehead frozen rope single to rightfield would plate Cagle and Zac Clements to finish the three-run bottom of the fourth.

Crichton would answer in its top half of the fifth with a four-run spot, but CBU senior righthander Brad Adams would water the Cardinal offensive flame in his 1.1 innings of work. Philip Wicke would record the win for the Bucs, moving his overall mark to 1-0 in the 2002 campaign. The sophomore hurler allowed four runs on five hits, while striking out two.

The Buccaneer bats would add a five-run exclamation point in the bottom of the fifth, as Cagle rocked a two-run single to left field, plating teammates Angelo Lucchesi and Hiegel. Whitehead would deliver his second two-run double to left center on a 1-1 count, with a Hoover single bringing the third baseman around to score the final run of CBU’s six-run victory.

Whitehead would finish his day at the plate with a 2-of-4, 4-RBI, two runs scored effort, while Cagle scored three runs behind a 2-of-4, 2-RBI outing. Hiegel and Hoover added two RBI on the day, while Hoover boosted his team-leading batting average to .588 on the year.

CBU will take to the road for the first time of the 2002 schedule this Saturday, February 23^rd, as Bucs match-up with non-conference opponent, Bethel College, in a seven-inning double-header affair. First pitch is scheduled for noon.