CHARLESTON, S.C. - Sophomore Jaren Sustar tied an NCAA record with four sacrifice bunts while Nick Chinners had three RBI as the CSU baseball defeated the A-10's Fordham Rams 4-3 on Friday afternoon at CSU Ballpark in game one of a four game series.

The Bucs (8-5, 0-0) and the Rams (9-3, 0-0) will meet again on Saturday at 2 p.m. at CSU Ballpark.

Three of Sustar's four bunts moved both Brantley Meier and Brandon McKinney into scoring position twice, as each picked up two runs to lead the Bucs past the Rams. Sustar's feat, which comes just one game after his first career grand slam, ties the NCAA record for sac bunts in a game. He is now one of four players to reach the mark.

Meier went 2-for-2 with two runs and was walked once. McKinney was 2-for-3 with two runs and also added in two assists defensively. Walt Quattlebaum was 2-for-4 while Chinners was 1-for-3 with three RBI.

Stew Brase did his part with a solid performance on the mound, picking up the win with just one earned run. Brase went 7.0 innings and gave up a total of three runs and six hits, striking out five. Corey Deighan picked up his fifth save of the season, giving up two hits and no runs in the ninth inning.

Nick Martinez led Fordham by going 3-for-4 with two runs, one of which was a homer, and an RBI while Joe Russo went 2-for-4 and accounted for the Rams' other run. Brian Pendergast took the loss, giving up four runs on nine hits in 6.1 innings.

The Rams got on the board early, with Martinez reaching first on catcher interference. He then advanced to second on a Buccaneer error before reaching third when Brian Kownacki grounded out to first. Ryan Lee drove Martinez home to give the Rams a 1-0 lead in the first inning.

It took a few innings but the Bucs found their offensive rhythm in third, with McKinney singling to the pitcher and Meier reaching base on a bunt. Sustar has his first sacrifice bunt of the day to advance McKinney and Meier before Chinners grounded out to drive McKinney home and tie the score at 1-1. With Meier on third, Derek Smith singled up the middle for Meier to score and give the Bucs the lead at 2-1 in the bottom of the third.

Russo doubled down the leftfield line at the top of the fourth before scoring on a Buccaneer error to tie the game at 2-2. After shutting out the Bucs in the bottom of the fourth, Martinez hit a solo home run in the fifth to give Fordham the lead once again at 3-2.

But the Bucs fought back, starting with Meier who was walked to start the bottom of the fifth. Another sac bunt from Sustar sent him to second before Chinners singled to right center to drive home Meier and tie the game at 3-3.

After holding the Rams scoreless for two innings, McKinney singled to third to start off the bottom of the seventh. Meier singled on a bunt, sending McKinney to second. Sustar again had a sac bunt to advance both runners before a sacrifice fly by Chinners sent McKinney home for the 4-3 win.

Coach Lake Discusses His Team's 4-3 Win Over Fordham