Coastal Carolina University
Baseball News

Feb. 13, 2004

 

CONWAY, SC — Coastal Carolina’s baseball team posted five runs in the third inning and never trailed in defeating the visiting Delaware squad, 12-7, Feb. 13. With the victory, the Chanticleers advance to 3-0 on the season, while the Fighting Blue Hens drop their season opener.

Freshman Chris Raber got Coastal on the scoreboard first, with a solo shot over the centerfield fence in the bottom of the second for a 1-0 lead. The Chants then got on a roll in their next at-bat. Senior Ryan McGraw walked to open the inning and junior Brett Grandstrand drove him to third on a double to left field. Sophomore Mike Costanzo then doubled home McGraw and Granstrand for a 3-0 lead. Freshman Brett Gordon reached on a fielding error by second baseman Brock Donovan, allowing Costanzo to advance to third. After a fielder’s choice gave the Blue Hens their first out, they intentionally walked Raber to load the bases. Senior Chad Oxendine and sophomore Michael DeJesus put together back-to-back singles to drive in a pair of runs, followed by freshman Chris Todd’s walk to make the lead 6-0.

Delaware fought back in the fourth with two runs of their own on home runs by Steve Van Note and Dave Harden. CCU scratched out a run in the bottom of the inning on Oxendine’s sacrifice fly, scoring Costanzo.

The Blue Hens got two more in the fifth and sixth, but Coastal scored three of their own in those two innings, including a home run from senior Greg Orsimarsi to lead 10-6 after six innings.
Coastal then added an insurance run in the bottomof the seventh on McGraw’s first home run of the season. Harden homered again for Delaware to lead off the eighth, but CCU shut down the Blue Hens the remainder of the way and added a run of their own in the bottom of the eighth, as freshman Jason Krohn doubled in DeJesus for the 12-7 final margin.

Steven Carter moved to 2-0 on the young season, giving up four runs and seven hits, while striking out three in five innings of work. Byron Binda threw three innings, while Josh Fish picked off his third runner of the year in closing out the game in the scoreless ninth. Mike Mihalik got the loss, giving up seven runs, six of them earned, in just three innings of walk. He struck out four but walked six and gave up five hits.

The two teams will meet again on Saturday at Watson Stadium. However, the game time has been moved up from 1 p.m. to 11 a.m. due to the prediction of inclement weather.