CHARLESTON, S.C. (Interstat) — Michael Gibson homered twice and drove in four runs Tuesday night, powering The Citadel Bulldogs to a 14-6 comeback victory over the Charleston Southern Buccaneers at Joseph P. Riley, Jr. Park.

The Bulldogs (15-16) erased an early six-run deficit, exploding for nine runs over the fourth and sixth innings to turn a tight game into a rout and snap a two-game skid. The Buccaneers fell to 20-11.

Charleston Southern stunned the home crowd in the first inning, batting around against Citadel starter Andrew Bowers. After singles by Collins and Wolfley, Chandler Tuupo launched a three-run homer to center field, staking the Buccaneers to a 3-0 lead before an out was recorded. The damage continued as the inning progressed, though no further runs scored, and Bowers eventually settled to work five innings, allowing seven hits and three earned runs with two strikeouts for the win.

The Citadel began chipping away immediately. Gibson, the Bulldogs’ designated hitter, answered in the bottom of the first with a solo shot to left field. Christian Stratis added another solo homer in the second, cutting the deficit to 6-2.

Gibson struck again in the third, launching his second solo homer of the game, this time to left-center. After a walk to Daniels, TJ Anderson followed with a two-run blast to right field, bringing The Citadel within a run at 6-5.

The Bulldogs seized the lead for good in the fourth, capitalizing on Charleston Southern defensive miscues. Stratis was hit by a pitch and Lively reached on a bunt single that led to two throwing errors, allowing Stratis to score the tying run. Patel’s sacrifice bunt and Tobin’s sacrifice fly then plated Lively with the go-ahead, unearned run.

Charleston Southern briefly tied the game in the top of the fifth, again aided by an error. After Edgmon reached on a throwing error, Tuupo singled and Alex Marot hit a three-run, unearned homer to left, knotting the score at 7-7.

The game decisively turned in the bottom of the sixth. The Citadel sent 11 men to the plate, scoring seven runs on six hits to break it open. The rally featured an RBI single by Lively, a two-run single by Gibson, an RBI single by Daniels, a sacrifice fly by Anderson and a two-run homer by Zach Hunt.

From there, the Bulldogs’ bullpen slammed the door. Zane Davis, Josh Davis and Deacon combined for three perfect innings of relief to close out the game. Charleston Southern reliever Drew Brown provided a bright spot for the Buccaneers, pitching two hitless innings with three strikeouts in the seventh and eighth.

Gibson finished 3 for 4 with two home runs, four RBIs and three runs scored, leading a 12-hit Citadel attack. Hunt was 2 for 4 with a homer and two RBIs, while Stratis went 2 for 3 with a homer, two runs and an RBI.

For Charleston Southern, Tuupo was perfect at the plate, going 3 for 3 with a home run, three RBIs and two runs scored. Marot drove in three runs with his homer, part of a nine-hit effort for the Buccaneers.

The most important part of the game was The Citadel’s seven-run sixth inning, which transformed a narrow 7-7 contest into a 14-7 blowout and cemented the comeback victory. The rally showcased the Bulldogs’ offensive depth, featuring contributions from throughout the lineup to put the game out of reach.

The result defied the pregame projections from Interstat, whose game simulator had predicted a 7-6 Charleston Southern victory and gave the Buccaneers a 51.7% probability to win.

The Citadel travels to face Winthrop on Wednesday. Charleston Southern begins a three-game series at South Carolina Upstate on Friday. The two Lowcountry rivals will meet again next Tuesday at Charleston Southern.