CHARLESTON, S.C. - The CSU baseball team scored two early runs but had to stage a comeback to get the 5-3 win over Furman at CSU Ballpark in Charleston, S.C., on Tuesday.

Senior Brantley Meier paved the way for the Bucs, picking up the team's first run and later scoring the game tying run. Meier got on base in a plethora of ways, reaching on an error, two hits and a walk. Fellow seniors Nick Chinners and Derek Smith each had a homerun, with Chinners' marking the Bucs first homer of the season.

Right hander Anthony Markham picked up the win for the Bucs, pitching two scoreless innings in relief while striking out one batter and giving up two hits. Corey Deighan earned the save, giving up just one hit and no runs while striking out two in the ninth.

Meier got on base in the first at bat of the game on a throwing error by Furman's Cameron Allmendinger and then advanced to second on another error by the Paladins. A wild pitch brought him to third before Chinners hit a home run to make it 2-0 by the end of the first inning.

The Paladins battled back in the second inning as Miller singled to right field. He then stole second base and was driven home by Fondu.

The Bucs kept their slim lead, for four more innings before the Paladins staged a comeback in the sixth. Taylor Johnson walked to start the inning off, and Will Miller reached first on a throwing error. Johnson and Miller were both able to advance on a sacrifice bunt before a wild pitch sent Johnson across the plate and Miller to third. Miller then scored on a double from Rob Fondu to put Furman up 3-1 at the top of the sixth inning.

A seventh inning rally started with a single by Meier, who advanced on a sacrifice bunt by Tom Burkett. Meier then stole third base before scoring on a throwing error to tie the game at 3-3. Derek Smith then blasted CSU's second home run of the day to put CSU ahead by one. Matt Still tripled to the right side and was driven home on a single by Walt Quattlebaum to give the Bucs the 5-3 win.

Meier and Smith both went 2-of-4 on the day, with Meier scoring two runs. Chinners was 1-for-3 with two RBI and led the team with seven putouts. Quattlebaum also had two hits for the Bucs, who had nine on the day.

Miller was the lone Paladin with two hits, going 2-for-3 with two runs. Johnson, who was 1-for-1 in the game, had Furman's other run while Fondu went 2-for-3 with two RBI.

Brian Dudzinski got the start for Furman, giving up two runs off of four hits and striking out three in 3.0 innings. However, it was Drake Browne who took the loss, giving up two runs off of three hits in 0.2 innings.

Levi Mauldin got his first career start for the Bucs, giving up one run off of five hits in 4.0 innings.

CSU will participate in the First Pitch Tournament at Clemson this weekend. They will kick things off with a 7 p.m. game against Michigan State at Flour Field in Greenville, S.C.

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