CHARLESTON, S.C. - The Charleston Southern softball team rallied for two runs in the sixth inning, but could not complete its comeback bid in a 5-4 loss to Longwood on Friday afternoon at Buccaneer Field.

Stephanie Sbardella continued to rake for CSU (11-12), driving in two more runs, while Kristin Kelleher added an RBI of her own and paced the club with two hits. Two-run third and fifth innings proved to be the difference for Longwood (16-8), though, as the Lancers offense put Ashley Cornell (3-1) into the win column. Morgan Dowdy (7-6) was solid for the Bucs in the circle as she penned her ninth complete game of the season in taking the loss.

Longwood got on the scoreboard with a single marker in the top of the first, but CSU immediately answered back with two runs in the bottom of the frame to take a 2-1 lead. Megan Lombard stroked a leadoff single, and came home to even the score when Sbardella lined a RBI single into right-center field. Kelleher provided some pop to chase home pinch runner Lizzy Olmstead from first two batters later, as she tagged a RBI double to the right-center field gap.

A pair of RBI singles gave the Lancers the advantage for good in the third, as Kori Nishitomi knotted the tally before Marci Christian came through with a clutch two-out base knock for a 3-2 LU lead.

The Longwood cushion grew to 5-2 in the fifth, as Jordan Cox delivered a two-out, two-run single through the originator.

The Bucs would not go easily, loading the bases in the sixth and scoring a pair of runs off Lancers reliever Libby Morris. Sbardella was hit by a pitch to send in the first tally, before a wild pitch brought home Lombard from third. Morris recovered to escape further damage by inducing a fly out from Jana Matthews, however, and then weaved her way around potential trouble in the seventh. Kelleher started that frame by smoking a double to center field and was sent on to third after a Linzy Rother fly out, but was left there as Morris induced a come-backer from Ari Tedesco before retiring Trea Steele on a tapper in front of the plate.

CSU is back in action at Buccaneer Field with a pair of games Saturday. Shane Winkler and company play host to Longwood again at 12 noon, before meeting MAC foe Ohio in a 2 p.m. scheduled first pitch. Longwood will oppose Ohio in the day's first game at 10 a.m.