CONWAY, S.C. – The 15th-ranked Coastal Carolina University baseball team (19-3) swept a doubleheader with Eastern Michigan University (2-11) March 17 in Conway, S.C., to take all three games over the Eagles. The Chanticleers hit five home runs to take game one 12-3 and came from behind to win game two 10-7.

Junior Tommy Baldridge (Fort Mill, S.C./Fort Mill) singled in sophomore David Sappelt (Saxapahaw, N.C./Graham) in the first to give Coastal a 1-0 lead. The Chants added two in the second as Sappelt doubled, went to third on a sacrifice bunt from senior Dom Duggan (Cranberry Twp., Pa./John Carroll) and scored on a sacrifice fly from senior Chris Raber (Coplay, Pa./Whitehall). Sophomore Dock Doyle (Conway, S.C./Conway) brought in Duggan with a single to left, giving the Chants a 3-0 lead.

The two teams each scored two runs in the fifth. Patrick Dean homered in the top of the fifth, bringing home Todd Graves and cutting the lead to 3-2. The Chanticleers matched that as Baldridge homered to right, bringing in Raber. In the seventh, Brian Blackburn scored Dean on a sacrifice fly to make it 5-3 Coastal, but the Chants would answer in a big way the next two innings. Raber walked and went to second on a wild pitch to open the inning. Baldridge singled in Raber and then went to second on a sacrifice bunt from Doyle. Doyle was safe on a error by pitcher Adam Jacobson. Junior Dustin Koca (Papillion, Neb./Butler County C.C.) brought both runners over on a bunt. Junior Derek Martin (Barnwell, S.C./Barnwell) was hit by a pitch to load the bases and sophomore Tyler Bortnick (Mentor, Ohio/Mentor) walked to bring in Baldridge.

Raber walked with one out in the eighth. The Chants then hit four home runs in a row. Baldridge brought in his sixth run of the game with a deep fly to right. He was followed by Doyle and pinch hitters David Anderson (Lexington, S.C./Lexington) and Ricky Grice (Lexington, S.C./Lexington), making it 12-3 Coastal.

Sophomore Bobby Gagg (Hamburg, N.J./Wallkill) had another solid outing, improving his record to 4-1 on the season. He went six innings, striking out eight Eagles and giving up five hits and two earned runs. Junior Joey Haug (Holt, Mo./Maple Woods C.C.) and freshman Dan Lombardozzi (Herndon, Va./Herndon) pitched the final three innings, striking out five and not allowing a hit. The loss fell to starter Jeff Fischer, who gave up three earned runs in six innings while striking out eight.

Baldridge had a career high six RBI and was 4-for-5 at the plate. Sappelt and Doyle had two hits apiece. For EMU, Dean had two hits and drove in a pair.

Eastern Michigan came out in game two and scored seven runs in the first two innings. Aaron Crooks doubled to lead off the game. He went to third on a wild pitch and scored on a Dean single. Coastal came back with a run in the bottom of the first. Sappelt walked and scored on a Duggan double.

Brian Blackburn doubled to open the second. He went to third on an infield single from Corey Chaffins. EMU loaded the bases on a walk to Mike Sacha. Anothern infield single, this time by Trumaine Riley, scored Blackburn. Crooks then unloaded the bases with his second double of the day. The Eagles put runners on first and third on a single by Dean. Derek Lehrman then brought in Crooks with a single to right. Sophomore Kent Altman (Conway, S.C./Conway) relieved Coastal starter John Mariotti (Toronto, Ontairo/Gulf Coast C.C.) and gave up a Blackburn single to score Dean. Altman got the Chants out of the inning by inducing a groundout to Chaffins.

Coastal’s bat were in full force in the fourth. With one out, senior Adam Vrable (Bay City, Mich./Grand Rapids C.C.) walked. He went to third on a double over the centerfielder’s head by Sappelt. Duggan walked to load the bases and Raber unloaded them with a double to right field, making it 7-4. Baldridge walked and senior Matt Rademacher (Bay City, Mich./Michigan) tied the game with a deep fly over the fence to left field. It was his first home run of the season.

Altman kept the Eagles in check and Coastal untied the game in the sixth. Baldridge continued his great day by singling up the middle to open the frame. He went to second on a sacrifice bunt from Rademacher and stole third. Anderson then ripped a 3-2 pitch over the wall to right to make it 9-7 Coastal. The Chants added insurance in the eighth as a Martin single scored Rademacher.

Altman earned the win for Coastal. He pitched 6.2 innings of relief, striking out five and allowing four hits. Anderson earned his second save of the season, striking out two in 1.1 innings. Matt Dillard earned the loss in relief, giving up three hits and two runs in two innings.

Rademacher went 3-for-4 with three RBI in game two. Raber also had two hits and three RBI. For EMU, Dean had a 3-for-5 game, while Crooks drove in three runs.

Coastal will host Elon Tuesday, March 20 at 4 p.m., in Watson Stadium/Vrooman Field.