CONWAY, S.C. – The Coastal Carolina University baseball team (14-18) scored five runs in the first, but a four-run third inning from The Citadel (18-15) gave the Bulldogs a lead they would never relinquish, defeating the Chanticleers 10-6 April 12 in Conway, S.C.

The Bulldogs scored two runs in the top-half of the first. Freshman Zane Petty (Surfside Beach, S.C./Socastee) walked Chance Smith to open the game. Smith reached second on a groundout from Matt Covington. Chris Swauger reached on an error to put runners at first and second. A double steal put both in scoring position and with two outs, Sonny Meade’s infield single scored Smith. Petty then hit Zach Brown to plate Swauger. The freshman got Brady Mashak to strike out to end any further runs.

Junior Chris Raber (Coplay, Pa./Whitehall) was hit by a Ken Egleton pitch to open the first. He went to second on a single from freshman David Sappelt (Saxapahaw, N.C./Graham). Coastal loaded the bases as junior Brant Peacher’s (Milton, Fla./Florida State) reached on an error by Egleton. Junior Matt Sutton (La Grange, N.C./UNC Wilmington) then reached on a fielding error that scored Raber. Junior John Mariotti (Toronto, Ontario/Gulf Coast C.C.) brought in a pair with a single to give the Chants a 3-2 lead. Coastal added on as senior Mike Fuentes (Miami, Fla./North Florida C.C.) flew out to center, scoring Sutton. Sophomore Derek Martin (Barnwell, S.C./Barnwell) and senior Aaron Verrett (Jupiter, Fla./Polk C.C.) hit back-to-back singles to scored Mariotti and give Coastal a 5-2 lead.

The Citadel answered with four in the third to take the lead. With one out, Matt Matulia singled and moved to second on a Meade walk. Brown walked to load the bases and Mashak brought two home with a single to left. Tripp Cappelman loaded the bases by reaching on an error by a sacrifice bunt. Smith brought what was the eventual winning run with a two-run single to left. The Citadel made it 7-5 on an RBI single from Brown that scored Matulia.

In the sixth, Matulia doubled, moved to third on an error and scored on a single by Brown, making it 8-5. Coastal cut it to two in the seventh as Mariotti homered over the right field fence for his fourth home run of the season. The Citadel got that run right back in the eighth as Sid Fallaw doubled, went to third on a wild pitch and scored on a Cappelman single.

The Bulldogs added a run in the ninth on an RBI triple from Swauger that scored Covington, who singled to start the frame.

Petty took the loss for the Chants. He went 2.1 innings, giving up four hits, four earned runs and striking out three Bulldogs. Tim Martin earned the win for The Citadel in relief, pitching two innings with two strikeouts and one hit.

Sappelt had three hits to lead Coastal, while Mariotti had two hits, scored two runs and drove in three. For The Citadel, Matulia was 3-for-4 with three runs scored.

Coastal will start a three-game series with Birmingham-Southern Friday, April 14 at 5:30 p.m. The game will be televised on ESPNU.