The 22nd-ranked Coastal Carolina University baseball team (33-10) dug itself in a 10-0 hole and despite four home runs, fell to Elon University (27-18) 11-7 April 29 in Elon, N.C.  The loss snapped Coastal's nine-game winning streak.

Elon started the scoring in the bottom of the first as junior Ricky Shefka (Kinston, N.C./Old Dominion) walked Gary Morris and gave up an RBI double to Paul Bennett.  Bennett then scored on a fielder’s choice to shortstop by Matt Stocco.  Chris Vasami scored the Phoenix’s third run on a single up the middle that plated Chris Price.

The Phoenix added a run in the second inning.  Adam Weaver opened the frame with a single and went to second as Morris was hit by a pitch.  Bennett moved the runners over on a sacrifice bunt.  Shefka then intentionally walked Price to load the bases.  Evan Erickson almost made the Chants pay as he sent a deep fly to center.  Sophomore Dom Duggan (Cranberry Twp., Pa./John Carroll) made a leaping grab over the center field wall that saved a grand slam, but scored Weaver.

The Phoenix exploded for six runs in the bottom of the third inning that included two home runs.  Elon sent 10 men to the plate and with one out, Vasami singled.  He moved to third on a single from John Walker.  Vasami scored on a double in the gap by Weaver and Morris made it 8-0 on a three-run homerun to left field.  With two outs Price walked and scored on a long blast from Erickson.

Shefka lasted only 2.2 innings, giving up 10 runs and nine hits with four walks and two strikeouts.  His earned run average moved from 1.67 to 2.76.

The Chants avoided the shutout in the fifth when Duggan hit a leadoff home run, his third of the season, to the left field gap.

Coastal then played home run derby in the sixth and seventh innings.  Senior Chris Todd (Seattle, Wash./Bellevue C.C.) hit a two-run shot that scored sophomore Chris Raber (Coplay, Pa./Whitehall) in the sixth.  That was followed by Duggan’s second home run of the game, a solo shot off the scoreboard.  Junior Michael DeJesus (Manapalan, N.J./East Carolina) then led off the seventh with a shot to left field, cutting the Phoenix lead to 10-5.

Elon got a run back in the bottom of the seventh as Price doubled home Morris with one out.

Coastal put up two runs in the top of the eighth.  Todd opened the inning with a single and moved to third on a Duggan double.  Junior Mike Costanzo (Springfield, Pa./Archbishop Carroll) looked like he would pop out, but Matt Stocco dropped the pop fly, loading the bases.  DeJesus then scored two runs on a single to left field.  Elon escaped further trouble as Kevin Regan struck out sophomore Danny Morgan (Hilton Head, S.C./Hilton Head Christian) and freshman Tommy Baldridge (Fort Mill, S.C./Fort Mill) and enduced junior Aaron Verrett (Jupiter, Fla./Polk C.C.) to a deep fly out to left.

Lance Cole earned the win for Elon, going 5.2 innings with five hits, three earned runs and five strikeouts.  The save went to Kevin Regan, his first of the season, as he struck out two in two innings.

Coastal had plenty of offensive stars.  Todd went 4-for-5 with two RBI.  Duggan was 3-of-6 with three runs and two RBI and DeJesus drove in three.  For Elon, Bennett had three hits, while Erickson and Vasami had two hits apiece.

Coastal and Elon continue the series Saturday, April 30 at 7 p.m.