The 25th-ranked Coastal Carolina University baseball team (30-9) scored six runs in the final three innings to defeat the 19th-ranked College of Charleston 9-5 April 19 in Mt. Pleasant, S.C. Junior Michael DeJesus (Manapalan, N.J./East Carolina) had the big hit in the eighth inning on a two-run single that broke a 5-5 tie. Coastal now has won six games in a row and nine of the past 11.

Coastal started the first inning with a run. Sophomore Dom Duggan (Cranberry Twp., Pa./John Carroll) hit a one-out single to center field and moved to third on a single by the hot-hitting junior Mike Costanzo (Springfield, Pa./Archbishop Carroll). Duggan scored on a sacrifice fly from DeJesus

Costanzo belted his fourth home run in as many games with a two-run blast to straightaway center field, making it 3-0 Coastal in the third.

The Cougars scored a run in the bottom of the fourth. D.J. Wabick singled with one out and scored on a double by Chris Campbell. The Cougars had runners on second and third, but junior Kevin Salmon (Brentwood, N.Y./Briarcliffe C.C.) got Brett Anderson to pop up and Brian Hastings to fly out to end the inning.

Salmon and classmate Mike Valter (Blommingdale, N.J./Briarcliffe C.C.) got out of a jam in the sixth. Wabick singled to open the inning and moved to second on a walk to Campbell. Valter came in and enduced Jess Easterling to pop out and Hastings to ground into an inning-ending double play.

The College of Charleston finally broke through in the seventh inning, scoring four runs to tie the game at five. Pinch hitter Michael Harrington singled and moved to second on a throwing error. Phillip Coker then put runners on second and third with a single. Brett Gardner then hit a grounder to junior Aaron Verrett (Jupiter, Fla./Polk C.C.), who tried to tag out Coker going back to second, but missed, scoring Harrington. After a strikeout to Byron Barber, Wabick singled to score Coker after he stayed alive on a dropped foul by junior Mike Fuentes (Miami, Fla./North Florida C.C.). Gardner scored on a Valter wild pitch and Wabick came around on a double from Easterling. Senior Byron Binda (Stafford, Va./North Stafford) kept it tied after striking out Anderson to end the inning.

Coastal retook the lead in the top of the eighth inning. With one out, senior Jon Foisy (Ridgecrest, Calif./Cerro Coso C.C.) was hit by a Josh McLaughlin pitch. The College of Charleston brought in closer Brett Harker, who with two out, walked Duggan. The Cougars then intentionally walked Costanzo, but that strategy did not pay off as DeJesus drove in two on a single to right.

The Chanticleers added insurance in the ninth. With two outs, Fuentes walked and moved to second on a Foisy infield single. Both runners scored as Todd hit a bloop double to left field.

The win went to Binda in relief, moving his record to 6-1 on the year. He pitched 1.1 innings, striking out two. Salmon had a nice start for the Chants, striking out three and giving up five hits and one run in five innings. Costanzo struck out a batter in the ninth to preserve the win. The loss fell to McLaughlin, who hit Foisy to start the eighth inning rally.

Six Chanticleers had two or more hits, led by Duggan’s 3-for-5 effort. DeJesus drove in four, while Todd and Costanzo drove in two apiece.

Coastal will begin a three-game series against Liberty University Friday, April 22, at 6 p.m., at Charles Watson Stadium/Vrooman Field.