BUIES CREEK, N.C. - The Coastal Carolina softball team dropped a 5-3 decision to No. 6 seed Presbyterian in a winners' bracket game of the Big South Tournament Friday afternoon.

The second-seeded Chanticleers will now play No. 4 seed Liberty in an elimination game later Friday night that is for 9:30 p.m.

Coastal fell into a 5-1 hole against the Blue Hose and tried to rally in the sixth inning, pushing across two runs to cut the deficit in half. However, the tying runs were left in scoring position.

Kory Hayden went 2 for 4 to extend her streak of reaching base to 34 straight games. Bri Chiusano went 3 for 4 and Kailey Mellen added two more of the Chants' nine hits. Presbyterian, the conference's top hitting team for average during the regular season, totaled 12 against Kiana Quolas and Kelsey Dominik.

Coastal took a quick 1-0 lead in the first as Hayden hit a long RBI single to the fence in left-center. Chiusano had led off by singling to right center and moved into scoring position on a sacrifice by Quolas.

The Blue Hose were able to tie it in the third, getting a leadoff walk to the No. 9 batter, a bunt single by Jill McLean and an RBI single by Shelby Petik just past the diving Sara Rasley.

Dominik came up with the bases loaded in the bottom of the inning and just missed a grand slam with two straight foul balls to left before striking out.

A Coastal error then helped Presbyterian take a 2-1 lead in the fourth. A leadoff infield single, a single to left and a bloop single to center loaded the bases with one out. Quolas then got a soft grounder back to her and got the force at home, but the throw to first was low, allowing the runner on second to score.

Kensley Loudermelk came on in relief to start the bottom of the fourth and the Chanticleers threatened again. Taylor Harris singled with one out and Chiusano followed with a bunt single, but two straight flyouts ended the frame.

PC then made it 4-1 in the fifth as Petik singled and Erin Ruff followed with a two-run homer to left and added another run in the sixth on an error and two singles.

In the bottom of the inning, Dominik and Mellen singled and Taylor Harris reached on a fielding error off her bunt to the right side that allowed pinchrunner Kasey Oliver to score. Chiusano then sent another ball to the right side and the Presbyterian first baseman hesitated and was unable to make a play. Mellen came in score and make it 5-3. After another sacrifice by Quolas moved the runners to second and third, Loudermelk got a flyout to left and a strikeout to keep the lead. Lowdermelk went four innings in relief to get the win. The Chants left 10 runners on base in the game.