CONWAY, S.C. - The Buccaneers got seven hits off of Coastal Carolina's Anthony Meo, but couldn't make it across home plate in the final innings and fell to the Big South's top-ranked Chanticleers 9-3 on Thursday evening at Watson Stadium in Conway.

Coastal (36-17, 19-6) out-hit the Buccaneers (27-27, 14-11) 10-7 as CSU dropped its second consecutive game. After Thursday's game, the Bucs are tied with Winthrop for third place in the BSC standings, though CSU holds the tiebreaker over the Eagles after winning their regular season series two games to one.

CSU RHP Stew Brase gave up seven runs off nine hits in 5.0 innings, striking out two batters and taking the loss to fall to 5-7 on the season. Anthony Markham also pitched 1.2 innings for the Bucs, giving up one run and striking out two.

Walt Quattlebaum and Matt Still were each 1-for-4 with a run for the Bucs. Brantley Meier and Derek Smith each went 1-for-3, with Smith scoring CSU's final run.

Meo gave up three runs in 7.0 innings for Coastal, picking up his eighth win of the season as he struck out eight CSU batters. Aaron Burke pitched two scoreless innings, striking out three.

Kevin Hardwick led the Chanticleers with four RBI, picking up two hits and a run. Rich Witten had three hits, a run and an RBI, while Scott Woodward crossed home plate twice.

The Chanticleers struck first, putting up two runs in the bottom of the first. The Bucs were able to tie things up in the top of the second, as three of the first four CSU batters hit doubles. Quattlebaum got on base with a double down the left field line to start things off, and made it home on Matt Still's team-leading 17th double of the season. Alex Tomasovich then doubled down the right field line to drive home Still and tie things up at 2-2

CCU moved ahead by a run in the bottom of the second inning, with Taylor Motter scoring on a wild pitch for a 3-2 lead. A three-run homer by Hardwick in the bottom put the Chanticleers up 6-2.

Hayes Orton doubled then scored on another double from Tucker Frawley to add to CCU's tally in the fifth inning. Smith then hit his 12th home run of the season to score another for the Bucs, putting them down 7-3 in the top of the sixth. The Chanticleers' Scott Woodward crossed home plate in the bottom of the inning to put CCU's lead at 8-3. A sacrifice fly by Woodward in the bottom of the eighth brought Frawley home to give Coastal Carolina the 9-3 win.

The two teams will meet again on Friday at Watson Stadium in game two of the series. First pitch is set for 6 p.m. in Conway.