MOUNT PLEASANT, S.C. - College of Charleston built an early lead and piled up 15 hits to hand Charleston Southern its first loss of the season, 12-3, on Wednesday night at Patriots Point. 

CSU and CofC are now both 3-1 on the season. 

The College started fast with three runs in the bottom of the first on a two-out home run, and added five more in the fourth to build a big lead. 

Charleston Southern's Zack Hagaman was 3-for-4 with two runs scored and an RBI on his first home run of the season. Nick Berry and Chase Shelton each added two hits, but couldn't counter a CofC attack that saw six players finish with multiple hits. 

CSU threatened in the first as freshman Nate Blanchard reached on a bunt single and Chase Shelton had a line-drive single into left center to give the Buccaneers a pair of baserunners. First baseman Robbie Streett flirted with his first home run of the season, flying out to the warning track to scare CofC early. 

CofC took a 3-0 in the bottom of the first as Carl Wise hit a three-run home run to left center. CSU starter Andrew Locklear nearly worked his way out of a jam after surrendering a leadoff single and a walk, but Wise connected on his first home run of the season to give CofC a big cushion early. 

The Bucs cut into the early Cougar lead on a Zack Hagaman solo home run to lead off the second inning. The senior survived a dropped foul by the Cougars' Ryan Welke and belted the next pitch out to right field for his first home run of the season, cutting the lead to 3-1. 

CofC extended its lead to 5-1 in the third, but CSU climbed back into the game when senior Nick Berry belted a towering two-run home run to left center to cut the lead back to two. Hagaman also scored on the blast after singling earlier in the inning. 

The Bucs would use three pitchers to get through a five-run fourth inning. CSU issued two walks and hit a batter to go with four CofC hits as the Cougars moved ahead 10-3. DH Ben Boykin had a two-run single to key the inning. 

Bucs' starter Andrew Locklear (LP, 0-1) took the loss after surrendering three earned runs in three innings of work. CSU used seven pitchers, but did get two scoreless innings from Joe Pistocchio. He struck out three and did not give up a hit. 

CofC's Bailey Ober (WP, 2-0) scattered eight hits and allowed three earned runs over five innings of work. He struck out four.   

Charleston Southern hosts Siena in a doubleheader on Saturday. First pitch is at 1 p.m. at CSU Ballpark. The three-game series concludes with a single game on Sunday at 1 p.m. 

-CSU-