CHARLESTON, S.C. - The Charleston Southern softball team saw their conference record drop to 0-4 on Friday night, as they fell to the Gardner-Webb Bulldogs by a 5-4 score. The game lasted nine innings. 

A two-out, two-strike single in the seventh inning gave the Bulldogs (12-21, 1-0 in conference) the 5-4 lead that they did not relinquish. The Bucs (10-17, 0-4 in conference) tried to rally in the bottom of the seventh inning but were unsuccessful, leaving a runner at second base.

The Bulldogs jumped out to a 3-0 lead off of Annah Junge and added one more  in the fourth inning with a solo home run to make it 4-0. 

The Bucs tied the game in the bottom of the fifth, scoring four runs of their own. Ashlyn Cribb put CSU on the board with an RBI double. Then, Ashley Meckley tied the game with a three-run home run. This was the third home run that the Bucs have hit all season, and Meckley has two of them. Raleigh Lewis also had a good night at the plate, going 2 for 4 on the night.

Junge lasted 5.0 innings, allowing 4 runs on 6 hits and striking out 3. She gave way to Riley Lauffer, who went the final 4.0 innings and allowed a run in the ninth inning, making her the losing pitcher. She falls to 1-12 on the season. 

On Deck
The series concludes tomorrow at 1 p.m. as the Bucs and Bulldogs will play two tomorrow. Both games will be streamed on ESPN+.