Box Score March 27, 2010
Box Score
CONWAY, S.C. - The Coastal Carolina University baseball team (19-4) saw its four-game winning streak snapped by San Diego (13-11) 5-3 March 27 in Conway, S.C. The Chants gave up all five runs in the fourth and fifth innings and ran into a buzz saw in San Diego pitchers Sammy Solis and Matt Hauser.
Coastal Carolina would take the lead in the bottom of the third inning. Sophomore Taylor Motter started the frame with an infield singe. He moved to third on a one-out double by junior Rico Noel. Coastal would load the bases as sophomore Steve Davis was hit by a pitch. Solis then walked redshirt-sophomore Tommy La Stella to force in a run. Solis and the Toreros got out of the inning as senior Adam Rice grounded out to end the frame.
San Diego would take a lead it would never relinquish in the fourth. With one out, James Meador singled to center. Coastal redshirt-junior Jim Birmingham walked Victor Sanchez and both runners moved up on a wild pitch. Meador would score on a Steven Chatwood single and Austin Green brought in Sanchez with a sacrifice fly to center. Then in the fifth, Scott Schauer opened the inning with a double down the left field line. Pinch hitter Matt Moynihan then sacrificed Schauer to third. Pinch runner Kalei Hanahwahine made it 3-1 scoring on a wild pitch. Birmingham then walked Kevin Muno and Tony Strazzara. Redshirt-senior Austin Fleet came in and gave up back-to-back singles to Meador and Sanchez to make it 5-1 USD. Fleet settled down to get two strikeouts to end the frame.
Coastal's bats were held in check until the seventh, when Motter lined a two-run home run to left, scoring sophomore Daniel Bowman, who was hit by a pitch to open the frame. It was Motter's third home run of the season. The Chants made things interesting in the ninth. With two outs, junior Scott Woodward walked and Noel reached on an infield single, but Hauser would get Davis to pop out to end the game.
Solis improved to 4-1 on the year, striking out seven and allowing six hits and three runs in 6.2 innings. Hauser picked up his fourth save of the season, allowing just one hit in 2.1 innings. Birmingham was tagged with his first loss of the season, allowing five runs and four hits with three walks and a strikeout in 4.1 innings. Fleet settled down to strike out three and allow four hits and no runs in 4.2 innings.
Noel went 3-for-5 for the Chants, while Motter was 2-for-4 with two RBI and two runs scored. For San Diego, Meador had two hits on the day.
Coastal Carolina and San Diego conclude their three-game series Sunday, March 28 at 11 a.m. The time was changed to accommodate San Diego's travel schedule.
