CONWAY, S.C. – The 20th-ranked Coastal Carolina University baseball team (31-8, 9-1 Big South) scored five runs in the first inning, then withstood a rally from VMI (28-11, 5-5 Big South) in a 7-5 win over the Keydets April 20 in Conway, S.C. Senior Andy DeLaGarza (Ossian, Ind./Norwell) picked up his ninth win on the mound for the Chanticleers.

Coastal had seven hits in the five-run first. Sophomore David Sappelt (Saxapahaw, N.C./Graham) and senior Dom Duggan (Cranberry Twp., Pa./John Carroll) both singled to the left side to open the game. With one out, senior Matt Rademacher (Bay City, Mich./Michigan) singled in Sappelt for his 22nd run-batted-in of the year. Junior Tommy Baldridge (Fort Mill, S.C./Fort Mill) doubled to left center to score Duggan and put Rademacher at third. A screamer by sophomore David Anderson (Lexington, S.C./White Knoll) went off Chad Rice’s glove and into left field, scoring Rademacher. Junior Derek Martin (Barnwell, S.C./Barnwell) hit into a fielder’s choice to score Baldridge and make it 4-0 Coastal. A bunt single by sophomore Tyler Bortnick (Mentor, Ohio/Mentor) kept the inning alive and freshman Ricky Grice (Lexington, S.C./Lexington) singled up the middle to score Martin and give the Chants the 5-0 lead.

VMI’s Brian Sandridge’s second home run of the year in the third made it 5-1, but Coastal answered with a run in the bottom of the fourth. Sappelt walked with one out and stole second. He came home on a single by senior Chris Raber (Coplay, Pa./Whitehall) for his team-leading 42nd RBI of the season.

Martin doubled home Rademacher to make it 7-1 in the seventh, but VMI answered with four runs in the eighth. Sandridge doubled to open the inning. Shane Geisslinger then hit a chopper up the middle that fell for an infield single. Rice brought in Sandridge on a sacrifice fly. A walk to Thane Smith ended the night for DeLaGarza. Senior Travis Risser (Palmyra, Pa./James Madison) got Robert Crumpler to ground into a fielder’s choice, which scored Geisslinger. Eddie Van Es walked to put runners on first and second. Anderson came in the game and gave up a double by A.J. Yoder that scored a pair. A groudout by Michael Roberts ended the inning as the Chants had a two-run lead.

Anderson retired the Keydets in order for his ninth save of the season. DeLaGarza went 7 1/3 innings, allowing four hits, four run and one walk while striking out five. He now has won 20 games in his Coastal career. Trey Barham was tagged with the loss, going four-plus innings and allowing nine hits, six runs and three walks with three strikeouts.

Rademacher had Coastal’s multi-hit performance, going 2-for-3 with two runs scored on the night. Martin drove in a pair and scored a run for CCU. For VMI, Sandridge had two hits while Yoder drove in a pair.

Coastal and VMI continue the series Saturday, April 21 at 2 p.m., in Watson Stadium/Vrooman Field.