CHARLESTON, S.C. -- Gerron Pendarvis returned an interception 21-yards for a touchdown early in the second half and Monmouth held on to win its fifth-straight, 23-20 over Charleston Southern on Saturday night.

Agbai Iroha hit London Johnson on a pass attempt on the third snap of the third quarter and the ball went to Pendarvis, a 295-tackle, who rumbled into the end zone to give the Hawks (7-1, 2-0 Big South) a 23-0 lead.

Shane Bucenell replaced Johnson and rallied the Buccaneers (4-4, 1-1) with a pair of touchdown passes to Kenny Dinkins and a drive that led to Shuler's 2-yard TD run with 4:21 to play. But Monmouth ran out of the clock on the final possession as Devell Jones carried six straight times for 30 yards. Jones only had one other carry, a 1-yard TD in the closing seconds of the first half that capped an 86-yard drive for a 16-0 lead.

Kenji Bahar's 8-yard TD pass opened the scoring for the Hawks.

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