The 25th-ranked Coastal Carolina University baseball team (33-9, 13-2 Big South) completed a three-game sweep over Liberty University (23-14, 7-8 Big South) with a 9-8 win in its last at-bat April 24 in Conway, S.C. Junior Michael DeJesus (Manapalan, N.J./East Carolina) hit a one-out, bases-loaded single to break an 8-8 tie and give Coastal a season-high nine-game winning streak.

Coastal had an 8-7 lead heading into the top of the ninth, but a walk to Michael Just and a fielding error from senior Chris Todd (Seattle, Wash./Bellevue C.C.) put runners on first and second with one out. After junior Mike Costanzo (Springfield, Pa./Archbishop Carroll) struck out Aaron Grijalva, Phillip Laurent singled to score Just and tie the game at eight. Coastal started the bottom of the ninth with a single by junior DJ Burns (Gilbert, Ariz./Chandler Gilbert J.C.). Liberty reliever Phillip Thompson hit Todd to put runners on first and second with no one out. Sophomore Dom Duggan (Cranberry Twp., Pa./John Carroll) then sacrificed both runners over, which was followed by an intentional walk to Costanzo. DeJesus lifted a 3-1 pitch beyond the drawn in outfield to give the Chants the win.

Liberty scored first in the second inning as Laurent reached on a fielding error, went to second on an error, advanced to third on a P.K. Keller single and scored on a double play from Adam Kearney.

Coastal answered with two runs in the bottom of the second. Freshman Tommy Baldridge (Fort Mill, S.C./Fort Mill) and senior Jon Foisy (Ridgecrest, Calif./Cerro Coso C.C.) walked with one out and sophomore Josh Eachues (Newberry, S.C./Newberry) brought them both home with a single to right center.

The Chants added two more in the third. Burns walked and moved to second on a sacrifice. Costanzo was intentionally walked with two outs and DeJesus made the Flames pay with a double to right, scoring Burns. Baldridge then scored Costanzo to make it 4-1 Chants.

Liberty tied the game in the fourth with three runs. Grijalva double to open the inning and moved to third on a Laurent single. Keller brought Grijalva in on a single and Phil John doubled in Laurent, which was the last batter junior Kevin Salmon (Brentwood, N.Y./Briarcliffe C.C.) faced. Salmon went 3.1 innings with five hits, three earned runs and one walk. A groundout by Patrick Gaillard scored Keller with the tying run.

In the bottom of the fifth, a wind-blown double from Baldridge scored Todd and Costanzo, making it 6-4 Coastal. The Chants then added a run in the sixth. Eachues went from first to third on a failed pickoff attempt by starter Chris Zuvich. He scored on an RBI groundout from Burns. DeJesus hit his fourth home run of the season in the seventh, a solo shot to right field.

Liberty scored three runs in the eighth on a three-run shot by Keller, scoring Laurent and Grijalva, cutting the lead to 8-7.

The win went to Costanzo, who improved to 6-1 on the season. He struck out one and gave up an unearned run in one inning. Senior Byron Binda (Stafford, Va./North Stafford) came into the game in the eighth inning, setting a new Coastal record by a pitcher with 110 career appearances. He broke the record set by Kit Kadlec from 1997-2000. The loss went to Thompson, his first of the season. Zuvich started the game and gave up five earned runs, but struck out nine, in six innings.

DeJesus had three hits and drove in three for Coastal, while Baldridge was 2-for-3 with three RBI. Keller went 3-for-5 with four RBI for the Flames.

Coastal has the midweek off and travels to Elon, N.C., to face Elon University Friday, April 29, at 7 p.m. The game will be webcast on www.GoCCUSports.com. Liberty is at Wake Forest Tuesday, April 26, at 3 p.m.