CHARLESTON, S.C. - Melissa Adams went 2-for-2 with an RBI triple, and Jennifer Giles came out of the bullpen to lock down her first career save as Charleston Southern edged Coastal Carolina, 4-3, at Buccaneer Field on Tuesday afternoon.

Adams' run scoring triple produced a 3-1 lead in the bottom of the sixth, and CSU (23-18, 8-4) stretched the advantage to 4-1 a batter later on a RBI single by Kristin Kelleher. Coastal (30-14, 7-5) would not go quietly in its final turn at bat, though, plating two runs off CSU starter Morgan Dowdy (14-9) to force her from the circle.

A Chelsea Pineda two-run triple was the final blow dealt to Dowdy, who worked out of trouble on several occasions over her 6.1 innings, allowing the three runs on ten hits and four walks, while fanning four.

Giles was summoned from the bullpen with the tying run 60 feet away, and made sure it stayed there. The freshman right-hander first induced a groundout to Megan Lombard at shortstop to put the Bucs one out away from victory, but the Chanticleers' Stacy Snellings managed a walk to keep their hope alive. Giles then snuffed that out immediately by retiring pinch hitter Paige Goldsack on a groundball to Jessica Brock at second base to secure the 4-3 win.

Coastal forged the game's first scoring threat in the top of the first, but was turned away empty by Dowdy. The Chanticleers put runners at first and second with only one out, only to have Dowdy strike out cleanup hitter Kiana Quolas (18-7) and fifth place batter Cacia Pierre to escape damage.

Coastal once again appeared poised to score the game's first run in the second, but Dowdy persevered to keep the contest scoreless. A wild pitch moved a pair of runners into scoring position with one out, and this time Dowdy retired Beth Kassuhn on a pop up, and leadoff hitter Brooke Donovan, on a comebacker, to keep the Chanticleers at bay.

Three singles paved the way for CSU in the third inning, as the Bucs scratched out a run for a 1-0 lead versus Quolas. Lombard came through with the key base knock, lashing a soft liner into left field to score Jasmine Conley, who was pinch running for Kelleher. CSU had a chance for more when Jana Matthews lifted a fly ball deep to right field, but Kassuhn ran it down on the warning track for the out.

Dowdy benefited from some terrific defense to maintain the 1-0 advantage in the top of the fourth. Adams robbed Pineda of a base hit with a diving catch in the left-center field gap to start the frame. Adams' glove work proved critical, as Coastal's Sara Rasley and Snellings followed with singles to put two more runners on with one out. Dowdy responded once again, however, by notching a fielder's choice groundout and a fly out to center to end the inning.

The Bucs manufactured another marker to take a 2-0 lead in the last of the fifth. Adams drew a walk to start the inning, and Courtney Konyk promptly stole second base after being inserted as a pinch runner. Kelleher then did her job to advance Konyk to third with a grounder to the right side, before Brock cracked an RBI single to right field to chase home Konyk.

Coastal finally put a run on the scoreboard in the sixth, as Brooke Donovan laced a RBI single to right field to send Nicole Saggiomo plateward. Donovan tried to take second on the throw home, though, and was nailed at the bag on a strong throw from CSU catcher Melanie Stickney. That gave Dowdy a much-needed second out, and the junior right-hander then secured the final out from Sarah Maples on a sharp grounder to Stephanie Sbardella at third base.

CSU pieced together a two-out rally to build a 4-1 lead in the sixth, providing what proved to be just enough insurance for Dowdy and Giles in the circle. Hannah Wagner was hit by a pitch to keep the inning alive, and then raced home from first when Adams scalded a RBI triple into the right field corner. The Bucs were not done there, either, as Kelleher singled on a sharp grounder to second to push the cushion to three runs.

Adams reached base on all three of her trips to the plate to pace the Bucs offensively, while Kelleher and Brock each racked up two base hits and an RBI apiece.

Next up for CSU is a three-game weekend series with Campbell at Buccaneer Field. The Bucs and Fighting Camels will square off in a doubleheader beginning Friday at 2 p.m., before hooking up for the series finale on Saturday at 2.