CONWAY, S.C. – The 19th-ranked Coastal Carolina University baseball team (34-9, 11-2 Big South) rallied for four runs in the eighth and ninth innings to tie the game with Liberty (28-16, 9-4 Big South) at seven, but the Flames got out of two jams in extra innings and scored three in the top of the 12th to defeat the Chanticleers 10-7 April 27 in Conway, S.C.

Liberty struck first in the second, scoring two runs on a home run by Aaron Grijalva. Coastal answered with a run the bottom of the frame as senior Matt Rademacher (Bay City, Mich./Michigan) hit his fourth home run of the season to left field. Coastal took the lead in the third as senior Adam Vrable (Bay City, MIch./Grand Rapids C.C.) doubled to start the frame and went to third on a single by senior Dom Duggan (Cranberry Twp., Pa./John Carroll). Both runners scored on a Rademacher single up the middle.

LIberty retook the lead in the fourth on singles by Derek Bennion and Grijalva, a run-scoring groundout by David Giammaresi and a double to deep center by Errol Hollinger.

It looked like Liberty would just be adding insurance in the seventh. Hollinger went to second on a single and a fielding error from sophomore David Sappelt (Saxapahaw, N.C./Graham). Aaron Phillips moved Hollinger over on a sacrifice bunt and P.K. Keller let him trot home on his second home run of the season.

Coastal scored three in the bottom of the eighth. Junior Tommy Baldridge (Fort Mill, S.C./Fort Mill) led off the inning with his eighth home run of the season. With one out, sophomore David Anderson (Lexington, S.C./White Knoll) singled to right and scored on sophomore Tyler Bortnick’s (Mentor, Ohio/Mentor) fourth home run of the season, a shot to left field, to trim the deficit to 7-6.

In the ninth, Sappelt led off the inning with an infield single. He was moved over on a sacrifice bunt from Duggan. After seniro Chris Raber (Coplay, Pa./Whitehall) walked, Baldridge singled to left to score the tying run. A fly out and a fielder’s choice sent the game into extra innings.

After Liberty went 1-2-3 in the 10th, junior Derek Martin (Barnwell, S.C./Barnwell) walked to open the inning. Bortnick sacrifced him to second and went to third on a wild pitch. The Flames’ Tim John would get Vrable to strike out and Sappelt to ground out to end the threat.

Liberty had runners on first and second with no one out, but Anderson got Young to strike out. An infield single by Tim Nanry loaded the bases. Patrick Gilliard hit a shot, but right to Vrable, who doubled up Keller to end the inning. In the bottom of the 11th, Duggan walked to open the inning and went to second on a Raber sacrifice. Baldridge was intentionally walked to put runners on first and second. Rademacher would foul out to first and Anderson struck out swinging to end the inning.

Phil John singled to lead off the Liberty 12th. He went to second on a Shawn Teufel sacrifice and scored on a Giammerisi single. Liberty would then add insurance with a Phillips two-run home run.

Tim John earned the win for the Flames, pitching 4.1 innings of relief, striking out four and giving up two hits and a run. Anderson took the loss, giving up four hits and three runs in two innings. Senior Andy DeLaGarza (Ossian, Ind./Norwell) and Dustin Umberger were the starting pitchers. DeLaGarza went 6.1 innings, allowing 11 hits, six runs and striking out a batter. Umberger gave up six hits and three runs in six innings. Sophomore Pete Andrelczyk (Lancaster, Pa./Manheim Twp.) struck out four Flames in three innings of relief.

Baldridge and Rademacher had two hits apiece, while Rademacher drove in three runs for the second straight game. For Liberty, six players had two hits apiece, while four Flames drove in a pair of runs.

The game was Coastal's longest game of the season by innings (12) and time (3:56).  It also was just the second loss at Watson Stadium/Vrooman Field in 2007.

Coastal and Liberty will continue the series Saturday, April 28 at 2 p.m.