MOUNT PLEASANT, S.C. - Patrick Dolan allowed just three runs on two hits in five innings of work, but the bats for the Charleston Southern baseball team weren't quite up to the challenge as CSU fell 9-4 to cross-town rival College of Charleston Tuesday night at Patriots Point Field.

The Buccaneers (10-16, 1-4 Big South) recorded seven hits against CofC, but the Cougars (20-7, 5-4 Southern) collected eight hits of their own and were able to manufacture a few more runs in the process.

Brantley Meier led the game off with a single to right field and advanced to second on a passed ball. After advancing to third, he was driven home by a double to left center by Nick Chinners.

College of Charleston tied the game up after Baker Knox led off the home half of the first with a walk. He later scored on a single up the middle by Joey Bergman.

The Cougars took a 3-1 lead in the third following a Matt Leeds two-run homer.

CSU was able to get one run back in the fourth after Tyler Thornburg scored on a sacrifice fly from Dolan.

Rob Kral homered in the sixth and Jose Rodriguez went deep in the seventh as the Cougars began to pull away late. A five-run seventh would be all the home squad would need to salt the game away with a 9-2 lead.

Both Brandon McKinney and Meier scored in the ninth for CSU, but the deficit was too steep to complete the comeback attempt.

Meier and Tom Burkett led the Buccaneers with two hits, and Meier scored twice. Burkett, Chinners and Dolan all recorded a run batted in.

Dolan (0-3) struck out four and walked five in his five innings of action. Corey Deighan entered the game in the sixth and allowed six runs on five hits. He lasted 1.2 innings and walked four. Tyler Vick pitched the final 1.1 innings and allowed just one hit and no runs.

Leeds was the lone Cougar to pick up multiple hits. Knox and Kral each scored twice, with Rodriguez driving home three. Bergman and Leeds each collected two RBI.

Jake Zokan (2-0) pitched five innings for the Cougars, and he allowed two runs on five hits. Dre Watts pitched two innings of no-hit baseball, and Owen Brittle allowed just one hit and no runs in one inning. Travis Stewart pitched the ninth for College of Charleston and gave up two unearned runs.

Charleston Southern will now travel downtown for the second-straight day to take on No. 25 The Citadel at 6 p.m. March 31 at Joseph C. Riley Park.