Box Score Feb. 21, 2010
Box Score
CONWAY, S.C. - The 12th-ranked Coastal Carolina University baseball team (2-1) gave up just four hits on the day, but a ninth-inning run from Kentucky (3-0) lifted the Wildcats over the Chanticleers 3-2 in the final game of the Caravelle Resort Tournament in Conway, S.C.
Both teams had opportunities to score in the first inning. Kentucky had runners on second and third with one out, but junior Matt Laney got out of the jam, getting Andy Burns to strike out and Gunner Glad to fly out. In the bottom of the first, junior Rico Noel walked and went to third as redshirt-sophomore Tommy LaStella's single was followed by two Wildcat errors. Sophomore Daniel Bowman would walk to load the bases. Senior Adam Rice fouled out and Noel was then thrown out at the plate on a straight steal attempt of home.
Kentucky would score a run in the top of the second. Keenan Wiley was hit by a Laney pitch to open the inning. He was then picked off by the junior lefty, but Laney then hit Neiko Johnson with a pitch. Johnson went to second on a wild pitch and scored on a single by Chris Bisson. Coastal answered with a run in the bottom of the second. Senior Jose Iglesias reached on an infield single to open the inning. He went to second on a single from redshirt-senior Chance Gilmore. Sophomore Taylor Motter moved both runners up on a sacrifice bunt and Iglesias would score on a single from sophomore Steve Davis.
Both teams would then score runs in the fifth inning. In the top of the fifth, Laney walked Braden Kapteyn and Marcus Nidiffer with one out. Freshman Ryan Connolly then came in for Laney and he got Burns to fly out. Connolly then gave up a single to Gunner Glad that scored Kapteyn to make it 2-1 UK. Coastal would answer again in the bottom of the frame as Noel doubled down the left field line and scored on an infield single from LaStella.
Both teams would be held at bay at the plate until the top of the ninth. Chad Wright singled with one out. Redshirt-senior Austin Fleet came in for redshirt-sophomore Keith Hessler and got Kapteyn to ground out to second. Nidiffer then grounded to junior Scott Woodward, but his throw was in the dirt, allowing Wright to score. Coastal went 1-2-3 in the bottom of the ninth.
LaStella went 3-for-4 to lead Coastal, while Iglesias had two hits in the game. Four Wildcats had a hit apiece, while Bisson and Glad drove in two UK runs.
Laney threw 4.1 innings, giving up just two hits and two runs with four walks and five strikeouts. The loss was tagged to Hessler, but he allowed just one hit and an unearned run in three innings of work.
Kapteyn earned the win for the Wildcats, pitching three innings of scoreless relief, allowing just two hits and striking out three. Logan Darnell started for Kentucky. He gave up seven hits and two runs with six strikeouts in six innings of work.
Coastal Carolina will visit Wake Forest Tuesday, Feb. 23 at 4 p.m.
