Trailing 5-2 in the eighth inning, Charleston Southern rallied for a pair of runs and then scored three times in the ninth to grab a 7-5 come-from-behind win over High Point Sunday afternoon at Erath Field.

The Panthers drop to 11-25 (2-8 in Big South play), while the Buccaneers improve to 12-24 (5-6).

Both teams got a run in the first before HPU took a 3-1 lead in the bottom of the fourth. Rey Rojas, who has hit safely in 13 of his last 14 games, led off the inning with a single down the line, stole second and came home on a mammoth home run by Kemp Smith (his fourth of the season).

The Bucs pulled within 3-2 in the sixth on a solo homer by Brian Sole.

HPU added two more runs in the bottom of the seventh without getting a hit. A walk and two hit batsmen loaded the bases for the Panthers with no one out. Pinch-hitter Ken Keesee scored Smith from third with a sacrifice fly, and Nick Thompson made it 5-2 when he scored on a Colin Cronin fielders' choice.

The Bucs clawed within 5-4 in the eighth. With one out, Adrian Vanderburg singled and advanced to second on a walk to Brandon Massey. A base hit by Jeff Kolhagen loaded the bases, and two runs came home on a single down the line by Scott Thacker.

CSU held the Panthers in the bottom of the eighth, and then took over to plate three runs in its last at-bat. Jordan Haar led off with a double off HPU reliever Travis Motsinger (1-2), and after Brad Woods drew a walk, Mark Shorey relieved Motsinger. A failed pickoff attempt at second base allowed the runners to advance to second and third with no outs, and a base hit by Vandenburg tied the game.

Sole then drew a walk, and after Shorey fanned Massey, Jay Reynolds drew a walk which scored Woods with what turned out to be the game-winning run. A base hit by Thacker scored Vanderburg with an insurance run to make it 7-5.

Brad Bissell (3-7) retired the Panthers in order in the bottom of the ninth to earn the victory.

CSU's comeback spoiled a splendid outing by HPU starter David Hilfstein, who allowed just two runs in 7 1/3 innings of work.

The series concludes Monday afternoon at 1:00 pm at Erath Field.