Final Stats

CONWAY - Coastal Carolina scored four runs in the first inning and four in the fourth to secure a 9-5 win over region rival College of Charleston Wednesday evening at Springs Brooks Stadium.

The 16th-ranked Chanticleers (28-10) and the Cougars (21-15-1) split the season series, each winning two games on their home turf. Coastal Carolina has won nine straight, 16 of its last 17 and 22 of its last 25.

Connor Owings (3-for-5) and Billy Cooke (2-for-4) wasted little time in extending their current streaks.

Owings singled in the first, giving him an 18-game hitting streak. He ties Daniel Bowman for third on the CCU all-time list with Mike Costanzo owing the record (based on available files) with a 20-game hit streak in 2005.

Cooke followed Owings with an RBI double. Cooke has now reached base safely (hit/walk/hit by pitch) in 30 consecutive games. He is the 13th Chant (on record) to reach base safely in 30 straight. Costanzo owns the mark by reaching in 55 straight spanning the 2004 and 2005 seasons (last 33 of 2004 and first 22 of 2005).

While Coastal pounded out 14 hits Wednesday, it made five errors as all five runs the Cougars scored were unearned.

Andrew Beckwith (6-1) managed the miscues well as he pitched the final six innings to get the win. He scattered six hits and walked none with four strikeouts. He did allow three runs (two in the fourth and one in the ninth) thanks to three CCU errors.

As it did last night in the win at #13 North Carolina, Coastal scored four runs in the first inning. Michael Paez gave Coastal a 1-0 lead as he hit a solo home run to left field. The junior now has nine home runs, tying G.K. Young and Zach Remillard for the team lead. Young, Remillard and Owings each singled to load the bases. Tyler Chadwick delivered a sacrifice fly to center field to plate Young for a 2-0 lead. Owings and Remillard pulled off a double steal, allowing Remillard to score and put Owings on second. Cooke followed with double to left field to drive in Owings.

The Cougars threatened in the second, loading the bases with two outs. However, CCU starting pitcher Jason Bilous got a ground out to escape unscathed.

Bilous was solid in his first start March 13 but he did not factor in the decision. He allowed three hits and two unearned runs while walking two and striking out two.

The College did break through with two runs in the third inning to make the score 4-2. Ryan Brown drew a leadoff walk. Bradley Jones reached on a throwing error, putting runners on second and third. Brown scored on a wild pitch and Jones scored on an RBI ground out by Morgan Phillips.

Charleston took advantage of another CCU error to tie the game, 4-4, in the fourth inning. With one out, Alex Pastorius reached on an error. Luke Manzo hit on a seeing-eye single through the right side and Dupree Hart followed with a bunt single to load the bases. Brown hit a ground ball, but CCU was unable to complete the double play, allowing a run to score on the RBI fielder's choice. Jones followed with an infield single to drive in Manzo.

Coastal regained the lead, 8-4, with four runs in the bottom of the fourth. Matt Beaird hit the first pitch he saw back up the middle for a single. After a sac bunt by Anthony Marks, Paez walked. Young dropped a single into right center field to bring home Beaird and move Paez to third. Paez later scored when Remillard reached on an RBI fielder's choice. Owings followed with a bomb to right field, which cleared the City of Conway Boardwalk to give the senior his ninth home run of the season to make it a four-way tie for the team lead.

The Chants pushed their advantage to 9-4 in the sixth. Young reached on a bunt single. Two batters later, Owings lined a double to the right center field gap. An error in the outfield on the play allowed Young to score.

Charleston provided the 9-5 final score with a run in the ninth. Brown started the inning by reaching on an error. He moved to second on a ground out and, what looked to be the final play of the game, he scored when Phillips reached on an error.

Coastal Carolina -- 11-1 and leading the Big South -- will continue a key stretch of games by hosting High Point this weekend. The Panthers are second in the Big South standings. First pitch Friday is set for 6 pm.