NORTH CHARLESTON, S.C. (Interstat) — Alex Marot drove in four runs and the Charleston Southern Buccaneers rallied past the College of Charleston Cougars 9-6 on Tuesday night at Buccaneer Ballpark.

Marot went 2-for-4 with a home run and four RBIs as Charleston Southern improved to 25-19. The Cougars fell to 22-25.

College of Charleston struck first when Jacob Amman led off the game with a home run to center field. The Cougars added a run in the fourth inning on a run-scoring single by Ethan Plyler and another in the fifth on a solo homer by Alex LaCoste.

Charleston Southern answered each time. After Amman’s homer, Marot singled up the middle in the bottom of the first to score Collins and cut the deficit to 1-0. In the third, Marot launched a two-run homer to left center that scored Collins and pulled the Buccaneers within 3-1.

The seesaw continued in the fourth. The Cougars scored twice, the first on Plyler’s single that plated Johnson and the second on a run-scoring single by Frehner. But the Buccaneers got an unearned run in the bottom of the inning when Edgmon singled home Reader to make it 4-2.

LaCoste’s homer in the fifth gave College of Charleston a 5-2 lead, but Garrison Barile answered in the bottom half with a solo homer of his own, and the Buccaneers added another run later in the inning on a single by Reader. The Cougars led 5-4.

The Cougars regained a two-run cushion in the sixth when Amman drove in Penfield with a single, making it 6-4. But Charleston Southern tied the game in the bottom of the sixth. Wolfley doubled, Wright singled him home to cut the lead to 6-5, and then Wright later scored on a Marot sacrifice fly to knot the game at 6-6.

The decisive moment came in the bottom of the seventh inning. Barile singled and stole second. Pringle walked, and both runners advanced on a passed ball. With Ryan Hench now on the mound for College of Charleston, Reader singled up the middle, scoring Barile and Pringle to give the Buccaneers an 8-6 lead.

Charleston Southern added an insurance run in the eighth. Collins walked, stole third and scored on Marot’s sacrifice fly to center field, stretching the lead to 9-6.

The Cougars threatened in the top of the eighth. Penfield doubled and scored on Amman’s single. Amman advanced to third on a wild pitch and came home on LaCoste’s single to bring College of Charleston within 9-8. But Drew Dawson relieved for the Buccaneers and got Ethan Plyler to ground out to end the inning.

In the ninth, Dawson struck out one, allowed a single to Frehner and struck out another to close the game. Dawson earned the win after pitching 1.1 scoreless innings, allowing two hits and striking out two.

Hunter Porter worked two innings in relief, giving up one earned run on one hit with four strikeouts. Corbin Payne pitched 2.2 innings, allowing one earned run on three hits with two strikeouts. Christian Krause recorded one out and did not allow a hit. Ryan Hench took the loss for College of Charleston after giving up two earned runs on two hits in two innings. He struck out two.

Plyler led the Cougars with three hits in five at-bats, driving in one run. Amman and LaCoste each had two hits and a home run. Amman drove in two runs, LaCoste two.

For the Buccaneers, Barile went 2-for-5 with a solo home run. Collins reached base three times and scored three runs. Wolfley and Wright each had two hits. The Buccaneers outhit the Cougars 14-13.

The game was the second meeting this season between the two Charleston-area schools. College of Charleston won the first matchup 7-5 on April 21 at home.

Marot entered the game with a recent slump, going 1-for-6 with one RBI in a 19-6 win at UNC Asheville on April 26, and 1-for-3 with one RBI in a 4-18 loss at Georgia Southern on April 28. His last multi-hit game was April 25, when he went 3-for-5 with two RBIs in a 13-8 loss at UNC Asheville.

College of Charleston entered the game after a weekend series win at UNC Wilmington, taking two of three. The Cougars fell into a tie for fourth place in the Coastal Athletic Association standings pending other results.

Charleston Southern climbed above .500 in Big South play with the victory and moved into the top half of the conference.

Interstat’s game simulator had projected a final score of College of Charleston 5, Charleston Southern 4, and Interstat’s ELO system had given the Cougars a 66.50 percent probability of winning.