The 25th-ranked Coastal Carolina University baseball team (32-9, 12-2 Big South) won its eighth game in a row, including its sixth straight Big South Conference matchup, in a 12-8 victory over Liberty University (23-13, 7-7 Big South) April 23 at Charles Watson Stadium/Vrooman Field. Coastal pitching struck out 15 Liberty hitters, including six in two innings by senior Byron Binda (Stafford, Va./North Stafford).

The Chanticleers and Flames traded four-run second innings to start the scoring. In the top of the second, Liberty’s Michael Just drove in Aaron Kearney and Travis Johnson with a singe to center field. The Flames’ Aaron Grijalva then belted a two-run home run, scoring Michael Just and giving Liberty a 4-0 lead. Coastal came right back with its four-run inning. Freshman Tommy Baldridge (Fort Mill, S.C./Fort Mill) and junior Aaron Verrett (Jupiter, Fla./Polk C.C.) started with singles and Baldridge scored on a wild pitch from Michael Solbach. Senior Jon Foisy (Ridgecrest, Calif./Cerro Coso C.C.) brought in Verrett on a single that bounced over Chad Miller. Senior Chris Todd (Seattle, Wash./Bellevue C.C.) moved Foisy and sophomore Josh Eachues (Newberry, S.C./Newberry) over on a sacrifice bunt. Eachues scored on an RBI groundout from sophomore Dom Duggan (Cranberry Twp., Pa./John Carroll) and Foisy came home on an RBI single from junior Mike Costanzo (Springfield, Pa./Archbishop Carroll).

Coastal put up three runs in the third. Baldridge and Verrett walked and Eachues loaded the bases with a single. Baldridge scored on a passed ball and Foisy had the big hit with a two-run double to left center.

The Chants made it 9-4 in the fourth. Costanzo walked and scored on a double by junior Michael DeJesus (Manapalan, N.J./East Carolina). DeJesus scored on an RBI groundout from junior Kevin Entsminger (Canton, Mich./College of the Siskiyous).

Liberty came back in the fifth to score three runs, cutting the Coastal lead to two. With two outs, Patrick Galliard and Miller had back-to-back singles. That set the stage for Just, who belted a three-run shot to left field.

The game remained scoreless until the bottom of the eighth, when Coastal scored three runs. Duggan hit his second home run of the season, a two-run shot that scored Foisy. DeJesus singled and scored on an RBI single from junior DJ Burns (Gilbert, Ariz./Chandler Gilbert J.C.).

Liberty scored a run in the ninth as P.K. Keller scored on a wild pitch from Costanzo, but Just flied out to end the game as the Chants assured its fifth straight Big South series win.

The win went to senior Jake Hurry (East Moline, Ill./Alleman), who struck out five in five innings to improve to 6-2 on the season. Binda had his six strikeouts and Costanzo earned his 10th save, striking out four and giving up four hits in two innings. Solbach took the loss for Liberty, going three innings and giving up eight hits and nine earned runs with five walks.

The bottom of Coastal’s lineup went 7-for-11, led by Foisy’s 4-for-4 with three runs batted in. DeJesus and Eachues had two hits apiece. For Liberty, Grijalva went 3-for-5 with two RBI.

Coastal and Liberty wrap up the series Sunday, April 24, with a 1 p.m. start.