CHARLESTON, S.C. - The Charleston Southern Buccaneers couldn't climb out of an early hole in an 8-5 loss to The Citadel on Tuesday afternoon at Joe Riley Park.

The Citadel scored seven runs over the first five innings to build a 7-1 lead,. CSU battled back and put the tying run in scoring position in the sixth, but the Bucs couldn't get any closer in only their third loss in the last nine games.

The Bucs fall to 17-24 overall, while The Citadel improves to 25-17.

The Citadel jumped ahead as Calvin Orth made it 2-0 Bulldogs in the second with an RBI triple. He scored on a single from Jonathan Stokes as the Bulldogs took a 3-0 lead.

CSU got on the board in the fifth on an RBI single from John Faircloth back up the middle to score Robbie Streett to cut the lead to 5-1.

The Citadel took a 7-1 lead in the in the bottom half of the inning on a two-run single from Brett Bullard, before CSU made things interesting.

CSU battled back with four runs in the sixth to cut the Bulldog lead to two. Chase Shelton doubled to the opposite field in left center to plate two runs and Streett followed with an RBI single as pulled within three.

Faircloth moved the tying run into scoring position with an RBI double down the line in left to move Streett up to third, but the Bulldogs' Zach Sherrill struck out Jaren Sustar and Kevin Hickey to end the threat.

Bucs' starter Chase Shelton (LP, 1-2) took the loss, allowing three earned runs in two innings of work. CSU used seven pitchers in the game.

Austin Livingston (WP, 4-0) picked up the win for the Bulldogs.

Four Bucs had two hits in the game, including two from Faircloth, Streett, Alex Tomasovich, and Bobby Ison.

Orth was 4-for-4 for The Citadel with a double and a triple. Reliever Skylar Hunter had his 11th save, closing things out in the ninth.

The Buccaneers will take a week-long break for exams. They return to action next Wednesday (May 1) at Georgia Southern.

-CSU-