Baseball team rallies late again; defeats Gardner-Webb, 5-4

Brad Woods delivers game-winning RBI double in ninth

CHARLESTON, SC - For the second consecutive day, the Charleston Southern Buccaneer baseball team rallied for a late victory, scoring three runs in the last two innings to defeat visiting Gardner-Webb, 5-4, at Buccaneer field on Saturday.

Junior catcher Brad Woods belted a one-out double to right center to score shortstop Billy Dalton from first base in the bottom of the ninth to lift CSU to their second straight victory. The Bucs rallied from a 4-2 deficit in the eighth when junior leftfielder Brian Sole belted a two-out, two-run homerun to tie the game.

CSU starter Brad Bissell went the distance to earn his first victory of the season. Bissell allowed four runs on seven hits, striking out nine and allowing just one hit in the final four innings.

Gardner-Webb falls to 2-4 on the season. Reliever Abraham Gonzalez (1-1) took the loss, allowing the final three runs over the last two innings. Gardner-Webb starter Jeff Long went the first seven innings, allowing two runs (one earned) and striking out nine.

Gardner-Webb took a 2-0 lead in the second inning on Sammy Styers' two-run homer down the right field line. Bulldogs first baseman Ryan Quirello added a solo blast for a 3-0 lead before CSU freshman third baseman Marcos Arias blasted a solo homerun to right center to cut the lead to 3-1.

GWU made it 4-1 in the fifth when Ryan McGirr stole third base and scored on Woods' throwing error. The Bucs answered with an RBI double by Jordan Haar, scoring Woods, in the bottom of the fifth.

Gonzalez opened the eighth by retiring the first two hitters before walking Arias. Sole followed with long bomb to left center to tie the score.

In the bottom of the ninth, Gonzalez struck out Jeff Kolhagen before hitting Dalton with a pitch, setting up Woods for the dramatic game-winning double.

Charleston Southern (2-3) seeks to even their record on Sunday, hosting Marshall University at 1:30 pm. Sophomore right-hander Bobby Parnell will be CSU's starter on the hill.