CHARLESTON, S.C. – Charleston Southern snapped a 4-4 tie with three runs in the fifth inning and Gardner-Webb could not get its offense on track in an 8-5 loss to the Buccaneers Friday night.

The Runnin' Bulldogs (17-17, 5-8 Big South) lost their fifth game in a row, and sixth in a row in league play in the process.

GWU opened an early lead at CSU Ballpark, as Tyler Best took advantage of an error at second base to lead off the game. A sacrifice bunt by senior Scott Johnson moved Best into scoring position, and Ryan Hodge brought him home with a hard double into left for a 1-0 lead.

Jacob Walker pushed the lead to 2-0 quickly in the second, belting an 0-1 pitch over the fence in left to lead off the inning. Gage Parham followed a double to left center, rattling CSU ace Andrew Tomasovich, and an infield single from Paul Trick put more pressure on with nobody out.

Tomasovich buckled down after a sacrifice bunt moved both into scoring position, getting a ground ball back up the middle that he fielded and throw home to cut down Parham at the plate. A line drive from Johnson was snagged at first to end the inning.

Charleston Southern (14-18, 4-6 Big South) went to work in its turn at bat in the second, getting a two-run triple from Brian Dye to tie the score. An RBI single from Nate Blanchard gave the Bucs a 3-2 lead, before Erik Heiligenstadt could get out of the inning.

The Runnin' Bulldogs surged back in front in its next turn, with Hodge hit by a pitch to lead off the frame. The speedy senior shortstop swiped second, moved to third on a wild pitch and scored in Sam Fulginiti's sacrifice fly to center.

Henry Rundio followed with a single to left, stole second and scored when Walker's sacrifice bunt was thrown away. Tomasovich again worked out of trouble, and his offense plated a run in the fourth to tie the game.

Charleston Southern struck for three runs in a decisive fifth-inning rally, getting an RBI double from Chris Singleton, an RBI single from Chase Shelton and another RBI double – this time from Cole Murphy for a 7-4 advantage.

Gardner-Webb would not collect another hit until the ninth inning, as Tomasovich fanned eight batters combined in his final four innings of work.

Charleston Southern plated an insurance run in the seventh, but the 'Dogs would make things interesting in the ninth – playing hard until the final out.

Rundio coaxed a leadoff walk and Will Canady stepped in and laced a pinch-hit single up the middle. Parham followed with a walk to load the bases and bring the tying run to the plate with nobody out.

Reliever Dennis Buckley responded with a strikeout for the first out and got a ground ball for the second – although J.D. Huggins' RBI grounder did cut the lead to 8-5. Buckley then got a fly ball from Best to end the game.

Gardner-Webb had seven hits in the game, getting one knock from seven different batters.

Heiligenstadt (3-3) took the loss, allowing seven runs on 11 hits in 5.0 innings of work. The redshirt senior struck out two and did not issue a walk.

Charleston Southern got its offense rolling Friday, rapping out 14 hits on the night. Shelton (3-for-4) and Murphy (3-for-3) led the way.

Tomasovich (5-3) cruised after a rough first two innings, going 8.0 frames with two earned runs allowed, 11 strikeouts and just one walk. The big lefty scattered six hits in the game.

Buckley came on with the bases loaded in the ninth and recorded his second save of the season with a perfect inning of relief work.

The two teams will play again on Saturday at 4:00 pm.