STATESBORO, Ga. - A walk off single by Scooter Williams in the bottom of the ninth gave Georgia Southern the close 2-1 win over the Charleston Southern Buccaneers on Wednesday evening at Clement Stadium in Statesboro, Ga.

Both starting pitchers were in control for much of the ball game, including four shutout innings from Georgia Southern starter Sam Howard. Howard surrendered four hits while walking two and striking out four.

The Eagles cracked first off CSU starter Kevin Buran (0-4) in the bottom half of the fourth, led by a T.D. Davis single to start the inning. After Stryker Brown executed a sacrifice bunt to move Davis to second, Tyler Avera grounded out to third while Davis took third on the throw. With two outs, Brent Pugh singled into left field off Buran, scoring Davis and breaking the tie, giving Georgia Southern a 1-0 lead. Zac Lenns then flied out to right field to end the inning.

Charleston Southern would tie the game in the top of the seventh via a wild pitch. Blake Hunt led off with a single to the shortstop before being lifted for pinch-runner Ben Qualkinbush. Harrison Wilkins would lay down a sacrifice bunt to move Qualkinbush to second. After Qualkinbush advanced to third on a Bobby Ison groundout, Kyle Rowe would come on in relief of Josh Stevenson to face Jaren Sustar. Four pitches later Rowe would uncork a wild pitch that allowed Qualkinbush to score and even the game 1-1.

Denis Buckley ran his scoreless streak to 13 innings by throwing a scoreless seventh inning for the Bucs. Buckley pitched out of a bases loaded, one out jam by getting a fly ball to shallow left field and a strike out to end the frame.

Corey Deighan would replace Buckley for the eighth and ninth innings, surrendering the game-winning single in the bottom of the ninth. Recording three strikeouts over the course of two innings, Deighan walked pinch hitter Hunter Thomas. Thomas then stole second and was able to make it across home plate for the 2-1 win when Williams singled through the left side.

The Buccaneers will return to Big South action this weekend when they host the Winthrop Eagles at CSU Ballpark. The series kicks off on Friday at 2 p.m. in Charleston.