CHARLESTON, S.C. - Tyler Thornburg belted a two-run single to left field to cap off the amazing comeback as the Charleston Southern baseball team scored five runs in the final frame to defeat The Citadel 8-7 Tuesday afternoon at CSU Ballpark.

The Buccaneers (13-18, 3-5 Big South Conference) entered the last inning down 4-3, and they were 0-17 this year and 1-51 over the last two years when trailing after eight.

Those numbers didn't matter this time around, however, as the Bulldogs (21-9, 11-1 Southern Conference) couldn't quite shut the door on the home team.

The Citadel scored three runs in the top of the ninth to push ahead by a seemingly insurmountable 7-3 lead, but CSU was never fazed as Patrick Dolan and Bentley Christmas each led off the bottom of the ninth with walks.

They both advanced 90 feet on a wild pitch, and then scored on a double to left center by Brantley Meier.

The Citadel brought Jeremy Long to the mound, and he hit Jon Matthews on his third pitch and was instantly yanked for Nick Sprowls. Sprowls did not fair much better after recording the first out of the inning.

Drew Woodall popped up to shallow center field, but Sprowls then walked Tom Burkett to load the bases. Matt Still singled up the middle to bring home Meier and make the score 7-6 in favor of Citadel.

The bases were still loaded with one out for Thornburg, and he drove a 3-2 pitch down the left-field line to bring home both Matthews and Burkett to cap the comeback and give the Buccaneers the 8-7 victory.

Stew Brase (2-1) picked up the win after he recorded the final out of the ninth. The loss went to Sprowls (0-1) who gave up the game-winning run. He pitched just 1/3 of an inning and allowed one run on two hits.

The Bulldogs outhit CSU 13-10, but two errors and poor relief pitching proved costly in the latter stages of the contest.

The game started as a pitcher's duel between Jesse Cadenhead and TJ Clarkson.

Cadenhead scattered seven hits across seven strong innings of work, and he only allowed three runs. He struck out 10 and walked just two in the no decision.

Clarkson was just as solid, as he allowed just three hits over six innings. He gave up just two runs and struck out four before leaving in line for the win.

The Bulldogs plated the first run of the game in the first inning after Nick Orvin touched home plate. He led off the day with an infield single and later scored on a single to right field from Bryan Altman.

The road team took a 2-0 lead in the top of the second when a single from William Ladd drove in David Greene.

The Buccaneers answered with two of their own in the home half of the second. Burkett led off the frame by being hit by a pitch, and he advanced to third on two wild pitches. Thornburg was also hit by a pitch, and both would later score. Burkett found his way home on a single from Dolan, and Thornburg was plated on a single from Christmas.

Altman gave the lead back to the Bulldogs after he scored on a passed ball in the fifth.

Corey Deighan came on to relieve Cadenhead in the eighth and gave up a home run to Justin Mackert. Deighan was pulled for Tyler Vick after giving up a walk and a single, and Vick was able to get out of the eighth unscathed.

CSU got that run back in the bottom of the eighth when Meier was able to cross home. He led off the inning with a single, and later scored on an RBI single from Nick Chinners.

The Buccaneers were unable to tie the game in the eighth, however, but it would not matter as they won the game with their five ninth-inning runs.

Deighan was tagged for one run on two hits in 2/3 innings, and Vick allowed three runs on two hits in one inning.

Meier was the most productive Buc from the dish. He was 2-for-4, while driving home two and scoring twice. Burkett and Dolan also picked up two hits, and Thornburg drove home two runs. Burkett scored twice, which included the game-winning run.

Matt Reifsnider, Raymond Copenhaver, Chris Boyce and Drew Mahaffey all saw time on the mound for The Citadel. Reifsnider threw the seventh inning and allowed just one hit. The other three pitchers all threw just 1/3 of an inning each, with Mahaffey giving up three runs and Copenhaver allowing one.

Greene paced the Bulldogs with his 3-for-4 effort. Altman drove home two, and he and Mackert both scored twice.

CSU will return to action at 6 p.m. April 7 at Furman University in Greenville, S.C.