ASHEVILLE, N.C. - Walt Quattlebaum and Brandon McKinney hit back-to-back home runs in the fourth inning, and Tom Burkett tied for the team lead with his seventh round-tripper of the season as the Charleston Southern baseball team fell 13-9 to University of North Carolina Asheville Friday afternoon at McCormick Field.

The Buccaneers (17-32, 6-15 Big South) and Bulldogs (13-32, 6-16 Big South) are fighting for the eighth and final spot in the Big South Conference postseason tournament, and, despite the loss, CSU still holds a half-game cushion over UNCA.

UNC Asheville outhit Charleston Southern 17-14, and three errors from the road squad proved costly in the loss.

The Bulldogs struck first with three runs in the home half of the opening frame. Catlin Carter flew out to left field to begin the inning. The Buccaneers, however, allowed the next six batters to reach base. CSU starting pitcher Anthony Markham was only able to record one out before he was pulled in favor of Stew Brase, who was able to get out of the first with minimal damage.

Charleston Southern responded to the early deficit in a big way, plating six batters in the third and fourth innings.

Harrison Wilkins and Brantley Meier each reached base in the third with one out, and Wilkins was driven home on a double from Bentley Christmas. Burkett singled up the middle to tie the game, plating both Meier and Christmas.

Brase got out of the bottom of the third unscathed, and the Buccaneers went right back to work in the top half of the fourth. Matt Still and Jesse Cadenhead led off the frame with back-to-back outs, but Quattlebaum and McKinney gave CSU a 5-3 lead as they blasted back-to-back home runs. Wilkins singled to right field and was later driven home by Christmas.

Quattlebaum launched his third homer of the year, and McKinney hit his second.

Brase worked another clean frame in the fourth, but the wheels came off for the reliever in the fifth.

The first five batters reached base for UNC Asheville, and Brase was removed from the game in favor of Tyler Vick. Vick walked the first batter he faced and allowed two unearned sacrifice fly runs, but the damage could have been much worse as CSU entered the sixth with a 9-6 deficit.

Quattlebaum led off the sixth with a double to left field and later scored on a single through the left side from Meier, but Ian Graham drove home Justin Schumer in the bottom of the inning as the Bulldogs maintained their three-run advantage.

Burkett made the score 10-8 with his home run in the seventh inning.

That was as close as the Buccaneers would get, however, as UNC Asheville tacked on three insurance runs in the bottom of the eighth. CSU could answer only with a lone from Meier in the ninth as the road team lost 13-9.

Meier was 3-for-4 from the plate to lead the Bucs. He also added a run batted in and he scored twice. Christmas, Burkett, Quattlebaum and McKinney all recorded two hits, with Burkett driving home three runs. Quattlebaum and Wilkins each scored twice.

Markham gave up four hits and three runs in just 1/3 of an inning. Brase (2-5) allowed five runs (four earned) on seven hits in 3 2/3 innings, and Vick gave up two unearned runs on two hits in two innings. Patrick Dolan pitched the final two frames and allowed three runs on four hits.

Schumer went 4-for-5 to pace the Bulldogs, and he also scored four runs. Graham drove home three runs and Derrick Hopkins and Cody Buch each brought home two.

Ryan Dull (5-3) picked up the win after throwing six innings and giving up seven runs on 11 hits. Robert McIntosh recorded his third save of the year after throwing the final three frames and allowing two runs on three hits.

The series between the two squads will continue with a 1 p.m. meeting May 15 at McCormick Field. A CSU victory would mean the Bucs would hold a 1 ½ game lead over UNCA, and a Bulldog win would mean they would take over eighth in the conference standings.