The College of Charleston’s Phillip Coker hit a two-out, two-run single in the eighth that proved to be the difference as the 26th-ranked Coastal Carolina University baseball team (23-8) fell to the 18th-ranked Cougars 8-6 April 5 in Conway, S.C.

The Cougars scored first in the second as Chris Campbell hit his fifth home run of the year over the left field fence. Coastal struck back in the bottom of the frame. Sophomore Danny Morgan (Hilton Head, S.C./Hilton Head Christian) singled to open the inning, moved to second on a groundout and to third on a single from sophomore Chris Raber (Coplay, Pa./Whitehall). Junior Mike Fuentes (Miami, Fla./North Florida C.C.) brought Morgan in with a single up the middle. After a fielder’s choice, senior Chris Todd (Seattle, Wash./Bellevue C.C.) brought in two on a single to right center.

The Cougars cut it to one in the third as Coker walked, moved to third on a single from Brett Gardner and scored on a wild pitch. Campbell hit his second home run of the day to open the fourth and tie the game. Jess Easterling then reached on a two-base error from Morgan, moved to third on a sacrifice bunt and scored on a single from Casey Gordon. Coker then brought in Hastings on a single to left center.

Coastal made it 5-4 in the fourth on a sacrifice fly from sophomore Dom Duggan (Cranberry Twp., Pa./John Carroll), scoring Fuentes. The Cougars got that run back in the fifth as with runners on first and third, Hastings was caught in a run down, but not before Easterling scored.

Coker’s hit gave the Cougars an 8-4 lead, but Coastal put up a run in the eighth. Pinch hitter DJ Burns (Gilbert, Ariz./Chandler Gilbert J.C.) doubled down the right field line to open the inning. He moved to third on a wild pitch and scored when Fuentes reached on an error by D.J. Wabick.

The Chants made things interesting in the ninth. Duggan reached on Wabick’s second error of the game. With two outs, he scored on a single from junior Michael DeJesus (Manapalan, N.J./East Carolina), but Brett Harker struck out freshman Dock Doyle (Conway, S.C./Conway) to end the game.

The win went to Nick Chigges in relief. He struck out four in 3.2 innings. Harker earned his fourth save, striking out eight and giving up one earned run in three innings. Sophomore Andy DeLaGarza (Ossian, Ind./Norwell) went 4.1 innings with three strikeouts, but dropped to 2-3 on the season.

For Coastal, Duggan had two hits, and Todd and Fuentes drove in a pair. Gardner had three hits for the Cougars.

Coastal will start a Big South series with Radford University Friday, April 8, at 6 p.m.