ATHENS, Ga. – Charleston Southern rallied for three eighth-inning runs, but could not come all the way back from a four-run deficit in a 5-3 loss at Georgia on Wednesday night at Foley Field. 

Georgia (6-3) scored a run in each of its first three at bats to eventually take a 4-0 lead into the eighth inning before CSU (3-6) got its offense going and made things very interesting. 

Ryan Maksim and Brandon Burris led off with back-to-back singles to give the Bucs a pair of runners in scoring position. Maksim scored on a Blanchard RBI groundout and a Sly Edwards' RBI single plated Burris to cut the lead to 4-2. 

Chris Singleton followed with an RBI single, his third in the two-game series, to push home Edwards and cut the lead to 4-3, but the Bucs would get no closer. 

Georgia added an insurance run in the ninth and reliever Drew Moody (S, 1) sat the Bucs down in order to end the upset bid. 

Bulldog starter Andrew Gist (W, 2-0) worked six scoreless innings, holding the Bucs to two hits and striking out five. Michael Curry hit a solo home run to go with three hits apiece from Skyler Weber and Daniel Nichols to power UGA. 

Singleton finished 2-for-3 with an RBI and a walk to lead CSU. Evan Nations gave up one run in three innings of long relief for the Bucs. Alex Ministeri (L, 0-1) struck out three and gave up three earned runs in his first start of the season. 

Mason McClellan had a double for the Bucs in his first start of the season. 

Nichols was 3-for-4 with an RBI for Georgia. 

CSU will open a three-game series on Friday night at CSU Ballpark with UMass. First pitch is at 6 p.m. 

TIME CHANGE: Sunday's series finale with UMass has been moved up to a 1 p.m. first pitch. 

-CSU-