The Coastal Carolina University baseball team (49-14) scored seven runs in the bottom of the fifth inning and pounded out 19 hits to defeat the University of Nevada-Las Vegas (34-28) 12-8 June 3 in the NCAA Tempe Regional. It was Coastal's first regional win since 2002.

The Chanticleers fell behind in the top of the third inning. After a Zeke Parraz single, Chris Bonnell hit a two-run home run over the left field fence to give the Rebels a 2-0 lead. Junior Ricky Shefka (Kinston, N.C./Old Dominion) then hit the next three batters, but got CJ Lang to pop out and Matt Fry to foul out to end the inning.

In the bottom of the third, senior Jon Foisy (Ridgecrest, Calif./Cerro Coso C.C.) led off the inning with a single and moved to second on senior Chris Todd’s (Seattle, Wash./Bellevue C.C.) walk. Both runners moved up on a sacrifice bunt from sophomore Dom Duggan (Cranberry Twp., Pa./John Carroll), but UNLV starter Matt Luca struck out junior Mike Costanzo (Springfield, Pa./Archbishop Carroll) and got junior Michael DeJesus (Manapalan, N.J./East Carolina) to ground out to end the threat.

The Rebels added to their lead in the fourth. JC Sibley led off the inning with a bloop double, moved to third on a sacrifice and scored on a sacrifice fly from Parraz.

Coastal tied the game in the bottom of the fourth. Hot hitting junior Aaron Verrett (Jupiter, Fla./Polk C.C.) knocked his fourth home run of the year to left field, scoring freshman Tommy Baldridge (Fort Mill, S.C./Fort Mill). Sophomore Josh Eachues (Newberry, S.C./Newberry) and Foisy then had back-to-back singles and Eachues scored on a single up the middle by Todd. Duggan loaded the bases as he reached on an error, but Costanzo struck out and DeJesus grounded out again to end the inning.

Coastal then sent 12 batters to the plate in the bottom of the fifth, scoring seven runs off seven hits. With one out, Baldridge walked and scored on a Verrett double. Verrett then came home on an Eachues double that dropped by the left field line. Coastal then put runners on the corners on a Foisy single. Todd had an infield single that scored Eachues, giving the Chants a 6-3 lead. With two outs, Costanzo singled through the left side, scoring Foisy. Todd scored on a DeJesus single to give Coastal a four-run lead. Sophomore Chris Raber (Coplay, Pa./Whitehall) bunted back to the pitcher, but Eric Brock couldn’t field it, loading the bases. Baldridge then brought home Costanzo and DeJesus on a single just in front the centerfielder, making it 10-3.

UNLV got a run back in the sixth on a solo home run from Mike Cruz. The Rebels then made it 10-6 in the seventh. Tyler Beranek started the inning with a double right between DeJesus and Baldridge. Lang then brought in Beranek with a single. The Rebels then put runners on the corners on a Fry single and an error by Baldridge. Fry scored on a sacrifice fly from Sibley.

In the bottom of the seventh, Coastal manufactured a run to take an 11-6 lead. DeJesus started with an infield single. He moved to third on consecutive sacrifice bunts from Raber and junior Kevin Entsminger (Canton, Mich./College of the Siskiyous) and scored on a single from Verrett.

In the eighth, Costanzo doubled in Duggan for the Chants 12th run of the game.

UNLV made things interesting in the ninth. Lang walked to open the inning and moved to third on a double by Fry. The Rebels then hit two consecutive sacrifice flies to make it 12-8 Coastal. Parraz then singled and the Chants brought in Costanzo. He only needed one pitch, as Ryan Bird bunted back to the pitcher to end the game.

Shefka earned his 12th win of the season despite giving up 14 hits in 6.1 innings. He struck out five and did not walk a batter. Costanzo earned his 14th save of the season, setting the  Coastal single-season school record of Kit Kadlec in 1999.

Luca took the loss for UNLV, giving up 10 hits and seven runs in 4.1 innings.

The bottom third of the order had nine hits, led by Foisy’s 4-for-5 performance. Verrett and Todd had three hits apiece, while Verrett drove in four. Parraz and Bonnell had four hits apiece for UNLV.

Coastal won its first regional game since June 1, 2002, when the Chants defeated Louisville 9-1 in the NCAA Atlanta Regional.

Coastal now will face #2 seed Arizona State, who defeated #3 East Carolina 9-6, in a winner's bracket game Saturday, June 4, at 10 p.m. EDT (7 p.m. PDT).