CONWAY, S.C. – Sophomore David Sappelt (Saxapahaw, N.C./Graham) belted a two-out, eighth-inning grand slam to center field as the 19th-ranked Coastal Carolina University baseball team (36-9, 13-2 Big South) came all the way from an 11-1 deficit to defeat Liberty (28-18, 9-6 Big South) 14-13 April 29 in Conway, S.C. on Senior Day at Watson Stadium/Vrooman Field. Coastal scored 13 runs in the last five innings of the game and had two grand slams, one by Sappelt and one from senior Adam Vrable (Bay City, Mich./Grand Rapids C.C.).

Liberty looked to ruin Coastal’s Senior Day as the Flames scored 11 runs in the first four innings. After senior John Marioitti (Toronto, Ontario/Gulf Coast C.C.) retired Kenneth Negron to open the game, he gave up a single to P.K. Keller. Mariotti would strike out Garrett Young, but Tim Nanry connected on a 3-0 pitch and drove it over the wall in left field to make it 2-0 Liberty. Coastal would answer with a run in the bottom of the first as senior Chris Raber (Coplay, Pa./Whitehall) hit his Big South leading 15th home run of the year to left field.

In the third, Liberty led off with six straight hits that scored four runs. Young, Nanry, Patrick Gaillard and Phil John all had run-scoring hits. Liberty then made it 7-1 on a wild pitch that scored Gaillard. The Flames then erupted for four runs in the fourth. Negon was hit by a pitch to open the frame. Keller singled to short and both runners moved into scoring position on a passed ball. Sophomore David Anderson’s (Lexington, S.C./White Knoll) wild pitch brought in Negron. Young then singled in a run to make it 9-1. John and Errol Hollinger had run-producing singles that gave the Flames the 11-1 lead heading into the bottom of the fourth.

With one out in the bottom of the fourth, senior Matt Rademacher (Bay City, Mich./Michigan), sophomore Dock Doyle (Conway, S.C./Conway) and junior Derek Martin (Barnwell, S.C./Barnwell) each singled to load the bases. Freshman Eric Godsy (Edmond, Okla./North) walked to bring in a run. That set the table for Vrable, who took an 0-2 pitch over the wall in the left field gap to cut Liberty’s lead to 11-6. It was Vrable’s first home run of the season.

Liberty scored a run in the fifth as Keller’s doubled brought in Negron, who singled with one out. Coastal answered that run in the sixth as Sappelt singled, moved to second on passed ball and scored on a single from senior Dom Duggan (Cranberry Twp., Pa./John Carroll).

Nanry doubled in the seventh, moved to third on a wild pitch and scored on a passed ball to give Liberty a 13-7 lead. In the bottom of the seventh, Liberty reliever Andrew Wilson retired the first two Coastal batters, but a Vrable double, a Sappelt triple and a Duggan single knock him out of the game. Raber then doubled off Chase Vaden to cut the Flames’ lead to 13-10.

Sophomore Pete Andrelczyk (Lancaster, Pa./Manheim Twp.) pitched a scoreless eighth, which set up the crazy bottom half of the inning. Rademacher was hit by a pitch to start the frame. Liberty brought in Ryan Page, who struck out Doyle. Liberty looked good when Page got Martin to ground out into a fielder’s choice, but freshman Ricky Grice (Lexington, S.C./Lexington) and Vrable singled to load the bases. Sappelt then took Page’s first pitch over the wall for the grand slam, giving the Chants the one-run lead. Freshman Nick McCully (Lakeland, Fla./Santa Fe Catholic) came in for Coastal in the ninth and got a fly out and two groundouts for his first save of the season.

In a game that featured 27 runs and 37 hits, there were plenty of offensive stars. Vrable had four hits, three runs and four runs-batted-in. Sappelt was 3-for-6 with three runs scored and five RBI. Duggan also had three hits, while Raber and Rademacher had two hits apiece. For Liberty, Nanry was 5-for-5 with three RBI. Keller added four hits, while Young was 3-for-6 with two RBI.

Andrelczyk earned the win in relief, pitching three innings and allowing one hit and an unearned run while striking out three. Page was tagged with the loss, allowing three runs and three hits in an inning of work. Both starters were out by the fifth inning. Mariotti gave up 10 hits and eight runs while striking out a pair in three-plus innings. Michael Solbach went four-plus innings, allowing nine hits and six runs to go with five strikeouts.

Coastal’s seven seniors were honored before today’s game. Andy DeLaGarza (Ossian, Ind./Norwell), Duggan, Mariotti, Raber, Rademacher, Travis Risser (Palmyra, Pa./James Madison) and Vrable played their final and maybe their most memorable game in Watson Stadium/Vrooman Field.

Coastal will take the midweek off during final exams and return to action Friday, May 4 at Nebraska. First pitch in Lincoln, Neb., is at 6:35 p.m. CDT. Liberty is at Virginia Tech Tuesday, May 1 at 7 p.m.