The 23rd-ranked Coastal Carolina University baseball team (21-7) committed seven errors and gave up six runs in the second inning in falling to Texas-Pan American (10-21) 15-6 April 1 in Edinburg, Texas.  Coastal now has lost three games in a row and four of its last five.

Coastal struck first in the first to take a 1-0 lead. Senior Jon Foisy (Ridgecrest, Calif./Cerro Coso C.C.) singled with one out off Bronc starter Ryne Foster. Foisy stole second and moved to third as a pickoff attempt was dropped by Zach Smith. Foisy scored on a single from sophomore Danny Morgan (Hilton Head, S.C./Hilton Head Christian).

Texas-Pan American came right back with three in the first. Louie Alamia started the frame with a walk and moved to second on a single from J.P. Mackie. Both runners moved up on a sacrifice bunt from Jacob Jones. Alamia scored on a wild pitch by sophomore Andy DeLaGarza (Ossian, Ind./Norwell). After a walk to Smith, DeLaGarza got Philip Rodriguez to pop up, but Matt Eichel doubled to the right center gap to score two Broncs, making it 3-1.

Coastal had a great chance to score in the second inning as two hit by pitches and a double from sophomore Dom Duggan (Cranberry Township, Pa./John Carroll), but senior Chris Todd (Seattle, Wash./Bellevue C.C) hit into a 6-4-3 double play to end the threat.

Coastal had a nightmare bottom of the second in which the Broncs scored six runs on just two hits with three Chant errors. Alfred Padron was hit by a pitch to start the frame and moved to second on an Aaron Flowers’ walk. Senior Byron Binda (Stafford, Va./North Stafford) relieved DeLaGarza and dropped a sacrifice bunt off the bat off of Louie Alamia to load the bases. Mackie grounded to third, but junior Mike Costanzo (Springfield, Pa./Archbishop Carroll) throw to home was wild and Padron and Flowers both scored. With two outs and the bases loaded, Eichel singled to score two, Ricky Broyles singled to score one and a passed ball plated the last run of the inning.

The Chants scored three runs in the third inning, the first on a double by junior Michael DeJesus (Manapalan, N.J./East Carolina), scoring Foisy. Costanzo scored on a groundout from junior Mike Fuentes (Miami, Fla./North Florida C.C.) and sophomore Adam Vrable (Bay City, Mich./Grand Rapids C.C.) singled to score DeJesus. The Chants tacked on another run in the fourth as DeJesus singled to score Costanzo, who walked with two outs.

UTPA put up one run in the fourth as Broyles doubled down the right field line to score Smith, who reached on an error. The Broncs added a run in the fifth as Flowers went to second on a Costanzo error, went to third on a sacrifice bunt and scored on a passed ball.

The Broncs piled on with four runs in the seventh. The inning included three walks and a bases-loaded walk to Zach Gordon. The big hit came off the bat of Eichel, who drove in two with a single to right field, making it 15-5.

Coastal added a run in the ninth as Todd’s infield single scored Vrable, who led off the ninth with a double.

DeLaGarza took the loss for Coastal, going one-plus inning, giving up two hits, three earned runs and two walks. His record fell to 2-2 on the year. Binda went 5.2 innings and struck out seven in relief. The win went to Chad Linder, who struck out four in 5.1 innings.

Vrable had three hits for the Chants, while Foisy and DeJesus had two hits apiece for Coastal. The Chants outhit the Broncs 11-7. Eichel was 3-for-4 with five RBI for UTPA.

Coastal and Texas-Pan American will continue the series Saturday, April 2, with a 7:15 EST start. The game can be heard on THE TEAM 93.9 FM in Myrtle Beach.