CONWAY, SC —The Coastal Carolina University baseball team (4-1) had its highest run output of the season in game four of the John Vrooman Beach Blast, defeating the University of Evansville (0-2) 18-7 Feb. 20, at Charles Watson Stadium in Conway, S.C.

Coastal was down 2-0 after an inning and a half after Jeff Fontaine hit a two-run home run to right field. Coastal answered in the third after junior Jason Krohn (Gresham, Ore./Lower Columbia College) scored on a double play ball. Sophomore Mike Costanzo (Springfield, Pa./Archbishop Carroll) started the fourth with his third home run in two days to left field. Sophomore Adam Pernasilici (Tecumseh, Ontario/St. Anne’s) then went deep two hitters later, making it 3-2. Freshman Chris Raber (Coplay, Pa./Whitehall) manufactured a run after singling, stealing second, going to third on a throwing error and scoring on a balk.

In the fifth, the Purple Aces scored two runs on RBI by Erik Lis and Fontaine. Coastal then would explode with nine runs in the fifth, sending 11 to the plate. Junior Brett Gordon (Sonora, Calif./Merced J.C.) and senior Ryan McGraw (Saginaw, MIch./Nouvel Catholic Central) each had two-run doubles in the inning, while sophomore Patrick Nichols (Chesapeake, Va./Greenbriar Christian) and junior Brett Grandstrand (Newcastle, Wash./Liberty) drove in a run apiece.

Coastal scored three more in the sixth, which included Costanzo’s fourth home run in two games and an RBI single from Krohn. The Chants also had two in the seventh as Costanzo had his fourth RBI of the game with a single. Evansville ended the night’s scoring on a run in the eighth on a wild pitch.

Sophomore Josh Fish (Bostic, N.C./Rutherfordton Spindale) picked up the win in relief, throwing one inning, striking out two and giving up a hit. Freshman Kevin Marrie (Clarksville, Md./River Hill) made his first collegiate start and when four-plus innings, giving up five hits and four runs while striking out five Purple Aces.

Ryan Lancaster took the loss for Evansville, going 4.1 innings, giving up six earned runs and striking out five.

Costanzo went 4-for-5 with three runs scored and four driven in. Pernasilici and Krohn had two hits apiece.

In earlier action at the Beach Blast, Missouri defeated Rider 4-2 and Albany beat Evansville 9-8.

The John Vrooman Beach Blast continues Saturday, Feb. 21 at Charles Watson Stadium. Rider meets Evansville at 10 a.m., Coastal takes on Missouri at 1 p.m. and Rider faces Albany at 4 p.m.

NOTES: McGraw had a stolen base, getting him to within 65 of the NCAA stolen base record ... Marrie struck out the side in his first collegiate inning ... The Chants had seven stolen bases on the night ... Freshman Dorsey Strickland (Loris, S.C./Green Sea Floyds) made his first appearance of his Coastal career in the ninth, striking out two Purple Aces.