CHARLESTON, S.C. - A ninth inning rally fell one run short as the Charleston Southern Buccaneers dropped the first game of a three-game series with Rider University, 4-3, on Friday afternoon at CSU Ballpark.

The Buccaneers fell to 4-10 on the season with their sixth consecutive loss. Game two of the series is set for Saturday at 2 p.m.

Junior Jaren Sustar and freshman Chase Shelton each tallied three hits to pace CSU's offensive effort. CSU freshman centerfielder Bobby Ison saw his 13-game hitting streak halted with an 0-for-5 day at the plate.

Mike Murphy (1-1) earned the win on the mound for Rider, allowing eight hits over eight innings with six strikeouts.

The game was scoreless until the bottom of the fifth when Sustar started a two-out rally for the Bucs with a single to left field. Shelton followed with a single to right as Sustar rounded third and then hustled home to score when Broncs' right fielder Nick Crescenzo bobbled the ball, giving CSU a 1-0 lead.

Rider quickly answered, however, in the top of the sixth. Adam Wayman singled off CSU starter Ryan Gunther (0-4), followed by an infield single from Ryan Murphy. Denis Buckley relieved Gunther, who struck out five in his five plus innings of work.

Rider scored two runs when Greg Fazio's s sacrifice bunt was thrown away by Buccaneer third baseman John Faircloth. Fazio scored on Mike Parsons' double to right center. After advancing to third on a sacrifice bunt, Parsons scored on a wild pitch to give Rider a 4-1 lead.

The score remained 4-1 entering the final frame as Rider brought on preseason second-team All-American Tyler Smith. Robbie Streett greeted Smith with a single down the left field line and Nick Berry worked a walk to give CSU runners on first and second with nobody out. After Ison popped up to shortstop for the first out, Alex Tomasovich loaded the bases when his groundball to third was booted by Wayman at third base.

Sustar continued his hot day at the plate with a single to left that scored pinch runner Ben Qualkinbush and Berry. Tomasovich advanced to third on Shelton's fly to right center but Smith was able to avoid further damage by getting Brian Welch to ground out to first base, earning his second save of the young season.