Conway, S.C. – Sophomore right-handed pitcher
Alaska Abney pitched 3.2-hitless innings out of the bullpen on Wednesday night to propel the Chanticleers past UNC Wilmington 4-3 at Springs Brooks Stadium.
The win pushes CCU to 2-1 on the season, while the loss puts UNCW at 3-2 on the year.
Abney (1-0) struck out two batters over 3.2 innings of work and got the Chants out of a bases-loaded jam to earn his first win of the season.
The side-twirler entered the game in the bottom of the sixth with the bases loaded and one out. He picked up a strikeout and then a ground ball out at third base to get out of the jam and keep the Chants within striking distance at 3-2.
The inning proved to be huge, as the home team added two runs in the bottom of the sixth on three UNCW errors to take a 4-3 lead, which the Chants did not relinquish in the win.
The loss fell to UNCW's Nick Bruno (0-1) as he gave up two unearned runs, on three UNCW errors, and struck out two in 1.0 inning of work.
Coastal's offense was led by freshman second baseman
Brian Port (2-for-4, RBI) who was the lone Chant with two hits in the win.
Scott McKeon (1-for-4, RBI),
BT Riopelle (1-for-4, run), and
Alex Gattinelli (1-for-4) all had one hit each.
Despite leaving eight men on base, the Chants took advantage of three UNCW errors.
UNCW's offense mustered up seven hits, including a solo home run by Ron Evans (1-for-2, HR, BB, RBI, run) and an RBI double from Cole Weiss (1-for-5, 2B, BB, RBI).
The visitors in blue took an early 1-0 lead on a second-inning solo home run from Evans, only to see the Chants tie the game up at 1-1 on an RBI single from McKeon in the bottom of the third.
The Seahawks retook the lead in the top of the fifth on an RBI ground out by Brooks Baldwin and an RBI double down the left-field line off the bat of Weiss to put the score at 3-1.
In the bottom half of the inning, the home team picked up an RBI single through the right side by Port to cut the UNCW lead to one at 3-2 through five innings of play.
After Abney got out of the bases-loaded jam in the sixth, CCU plated two unearned runs in the bottom half of the inning to take its first lead of the game.
Freshman third baseman
Eric Brown reached base on an error by the right-fielder to start the inning, advancing all the way around to third on the misplayed fly ball. Two batters later,
Morgan Hyde hit a shallow fly ball to left field that was dropped and allowed Brown to score from third to tie the game at 3-3.
On the play, Hyde was caught in the rundown but reached third base safely on a muffed throw on the play by the Seahawks' shortstop following a rundown. With chaos still ensuing, Hyde took off from third and scored easily as home plate was unoccupied to give the Chants a 4-3 lead.
Abney did the rest, as he sent the Seahawks down in order in the seventh and eighth innings, and pitched around a CCU error in the ninth to preserve the 4-3 win for the Chanticleers.
The Chants (2-1) will open the Brittain Resorts Invitational on Friday versus Saint Joseph's. Game time is set for 4 p.m. ET.
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