March 16, 2010

Box Score

MT. PLEASANT, S.C. -- The Coastal Carolina University baseball team managed just four hits and dropped a tough 5-4 loss at College of Charleston, March 16. With the loss, the Chanticleers fell to 15-3 on the year, while the Cougars advanced to 13-5.

The host Cougars got on the board with four runs in the bottom of the second. Jose Rodriguez and Baker Knox went back to back with home runs to go up 2-0. Starting pitcher Keith Hessler loaded the bases on three consecutive singles and then gave up to consecutive walks to make it a 4-0 CofC lead before leaving the game.

The Chants rallied to tie the game with one run in the fourth and three in the fifth. Jose Iglesias homered down the left field line to lead off the fourth and trim the deficit to three. Coastal then got the bats going in the fifth, as Steve Davis led off with single down the left field line. Davis then moved to third on Taylor Motter's single up the middle, with Motter advancing to second on the throw. Scott Woodward then drew a walk to load the bases, setting up Rico Noel's sacrifice fly that scored Davis and advanced Motter to third. Woodward stole second to move a pair of runners into scoring position. Tommy LaStella then grounded out to score Motter and move Woodward to third, where he eventually scored on a passed ball to tie the game at four.

The Cougars got the game winner in the bottom of the seventh. Rodriguez led the inning off with a double to left field off lefthander Matt Laney, and Knox followed it with a single to left center, but moved to second on the throw to put a pair of runners in scoring position. Josh Conway then entered the game for Laney, but Justin Brewer was able to manage a sacrifice fly to center off the reliever to make it 5-4 Charleston. Conway did manage to get the final two outs without any additional damage, but the Chants were unable to get another baserunner in the final two innings.

Laney took the loss for the Chanticleers, going just 2/3 of an inning and giving up two hits and the run in the seventh. Kevin Decker earned the win for Charleston after not giving up a hit in his two innings of relief, with Heath Hembree picking up the save after getting three straight outs in the ninth.

Coastal will take the remainder of the week off from games before opening Big South Conference action in a three-game series at Charleston Southern this weekend. Game one is slated for Friday, March 19 at 2 p.m. in Chareston.