CHARLESTON, S.C. -- Mason Davis' infield single in the bottom of the eighth inning scored Calvin Orth with the go-ahead run to lift The Citadel to a 5-4 victory over Furman in the opening game of a Southern Conference series Friday evening at Joseph P. Riley Park.

Furman (16-24, 6-9 SoCon) and The Citadel (17-25, 3-15 SoCon) will play at 2:00 p.m. Saturday.

With the score tied 4-4, Orth collected a leadoff infield single off Paladin reliever Elliott Warford, advanced to second on a sacrifice, and on to third on a fly out before coming home on Davis' single to first base.

Skylar Hunter retired Furman in order in the ninth to secure the win for the Bulldogs and his ninth save of the season.

The Citadel's go-ahead run in the eighth made a winner of Zach Lavery (2-0), who got the final two outs in the Furman eighth, stranding a pair of runners.

Furman trailed 4-2 before tying the game with two runs in the seventh.  Andrew MacLatchie opened the inning with a single and later scored after Bulldog center fielder Hughston Armstrong misplayed Hunter Burton's single.  Alex Abrams tallied the second run of the frame, scoring on Chris Ohmstede's two-out  single.

The Citadel grabbed a 2-0 lead in the second on a Brett Hines RBI double and bunt single by Armstrong, which plated Hines.

Greg Harrison's RBI single in the third inning scored Hunter Burton to make it a 2-1 game.  Harrison then stole second and moved to third on a throwing error before tying the contest at 2-2 on an Ohmstede sacrifice fly.

Furman starter Matt Solter worked seven innings, allowing four runs on 10 hits while walking three.  He recorded eight strikeouts.

Hines paced the Bulldogs' 12-hit attack with a 3-for-4 performance that included an RBI and two runs.  Tyler Griffin had two hits and drove in a pair of runs, and Orth also had two hits and scored twice.

Furman posted 10 hits, including a 3-for-3 performance by Carter Grote, who exited the game in the sixth following his third hit.  Ohmsted had two hits and two RBI for the Paladins, and Hunter Burton went 2-for-5 and stole two bases.

Warford (2-3) was charged with the loss after surrendering the game deciding run in the eighth.