The 25th-ranked Coastal Carolina University baseball team (13-3) scored three runs in the third and two in the sixth and hung on for a 5-4 win over the University of South Alabama (11-8) March 13 at Charles Watson Stadium/Vrooman Field in Conway, S.C. With the win, Coastal took two of three games over the Jaguars in the series.

South Alabama jumped on sophomore starter Kevin Marrie (Clarksville, Md./River Hill) as Tyler Jones walked and scored on Ben Froemming’s triple. Quendon Montgomery grounded out to second to score Froemming and make it 2-0 Jaguars. South Alabama would load the bases in the first, but Marrie got Jeff Morris to fly out to end the inning.

Marrie would settle down after that inning and Coastal’s bats would start in the third. Senior Chris Todd (Seattle, Wash./Bellevue C.C.) opened with a single and went to second as senior Jon Foisy (Ridgecrest, Calif./Cerro Coso C.C.) reached on a throwing error by David Freese. Junior Mike Costanzo (Springfield, Pa./Archbishop Carroll) then reached as Josh Morgan’s throw to second went off Foisy’s back. Junior Michael DeJesus (Manapalan, N.J./East Carolina) scored Todd on a groundout and sophomore Danny Morgan (Hilton Head, S.C./Hilton Head Academy) drove in two with a single to left field.

Coastal made it 5-1 in the sixth. With one out, junior Kevin Entsminger (Canton, Mich./College of the Siskiyous) reached on an infield single. Todd followed with a single to right. With two outs, Costanzo was hit by a pitch, loading the bases. DeJesus then legged out an infield single, scoring Entsminger and Morgan had an infield single, scoring Todd.

The Jaguars scored a run in the seventh as Josh Stapelton walked with the bases loaded and one out, scoring Montgomery. Senior Byron Binda (Stafford, Va./North Stafford) then got Joel Collins to foul out and Morris to pop up to end the USA threat.

South Alabama cut it to 5-4 in the eighth as Froemming singled, moved to second on a wild pitch and scored on a single from Montgomery.

In the ninth, Binda struck out Freese and got Stapelton to fly out. After a Collins single, Costanzo came in and struck out pinch hitter Michael Cart to end the game.

Marrie earned the win for Coastal, improving to 2-0 on the year. He struck out five and allowed only three runs in 6.1 innings. He also retired nine in a row from the fourth through seventh inning. Costanzo earned his third save of the year, while Binda struck out three in 2.1 innings. The loss went to P.J. Walters, who gave up only two earned runs in six innings with four strikeouts.

Morgan and Todd had three hits apiece to lead Coastal. Morgan also drove in three runs. For South Alabama, Montgomery, Froemming, Freese and Collins had two hits apiece.

Coastal will host George Mason Tuesday, March 15, at 4 p.m., at Charles Watson Stadium/Vrooman Field.