Fueled by six-and-a-third strong innings by sophomore Andy DeLaGarza (Ossian, Ind./Norwell) and four double plays, the 25th-ranked Coastal Carolina University baseball team (38-11) defeated fifth-ranked Georgia Institute of Technology 7-6 May 10 in Atlanta, Ga. It was the second win over an Atlantic Coast Conferece (ACC) opponent and its third against another ranked opponent this season.

The Yellow Jackets scored four in the bottom of the first as they sent 10 to the plate. Georgia Tech started with three straight singles, as Steven Blackwood scored Danny Payne to make it 1-0 Tech. A Wes Hodges walk loaded the bases and the second run scored on an RBI groundout from Matt Wieters. Andy Hawranick’s sacrifice fly scored Blackwood and a single from Whit Robbins brought home Hodges.

Coastal came back and scored four in the third, as the Chants had five walks off Yellow Jackets starter Jason Neighborgall. Junior Mike Fuentes (Miami, Fla./North Florida C.C.) and senior Jon Foisy (Ridgecrest, Calif./Cerro Coso C.C.) started the inning with back-to-back singles. Fuentes was thrown out at third on a fielder’s choice, but a walk to sophomore Dom Duggan (Cranberry Twp., Pa./John Carroll) loaded the bases. Coastal’s first run came across the plate as junior Mike Costanzo (Springfield, Pa./Archbishop Carroll) walked for the 55th time this season. Walks to sophomore Chris Raber (Coplay, Pa./Whitehall) and junior Aaron Verrett (Jupiter, Fla./Polk C.C.) made it 4-3 Tech and a Neighborgall wild pitch scored Costanzo and tied the game.

In the top of the fourth, Foisy started the inning with a single and moved to second on an error by Payne. Foisy then came home on Costanzo’s 10th home run of the season, an opposite field shot. It also was his 39th home run of his career.

Coastal put up a run in the sixth inning. Again, Foisy led off the inning with an infield single. He moved to second on a sacrifice by senior Chris Todd (Seattle, Wash./Bellevue C.C.), went to third on a single from Duggan and scored on a Costanzo single.

The Yellow Jackets got one back in the eighth. Tyler Greene singled off Andy DeLaGarza to start the inning. After a fielder’s choice, DeLaGarza was replaced by Costanzo. He struck out Hodges, but walked Wieters. Jeff Kindel loaded the bases with an infield single and Blackwood scored when Costanzo hit pinch hitter Jeremy Slayden. The Chants got out of further damage when Robins popped up to end the frame.

Georgia Tech made things interesting in the ninth. After Costanzo struck out Hodges to lead off, Wieters and Kindel hit back-to-back doubles to make it 7-6. But Costanzo beared down and struck out Michael Fisher and Robbins to end the game.

DeLaGarza struck out three and gave up five runs and seven hits, but settled down after the four-run first. He improved his record to 3-3 on the year. Costanzo earned his Big South leading 11th save, striking out five in 2.2 innings. The loss fell to reliever Jared Hyatt, who gave up three hits and two runs in 1.1 innings. Neighborgall struck out five, but walked five and gave up four runs in 2.2 innings.

Foisy led the Chants with three hits, while Costanzo and Baldridge had two hits apiece for Coastal. Costanzo drove in four runs in the win. Kindel had three hits for the Yellow Jackets.

Coastal turned double plays in the second, third, fifth and the eighth. Georgia Tech and Coastal left 11 runners on base apiece.

Coastal will travel to Chapel Hill, N.C., to face the ninth-ranked University of North Carolina Wednesday, May 11 at 6 p.m.