CONWAY, S.C. – Despite 15 strikeouts from the Coastal Carolina pitching staff, including a career-high 10 strikeouts from transfer starter
Michael Knorr, the Chanticleers couldn't get the offense going on a cold Sunday night in a 2-1 loss to the Kent State Golden Flashes on day three of the Baseball at the Beach event.
The loss is the first on the season for CCU to fall to 2-1 on the year. The win was the first for Kent State in 2022 and moved them to 1-2 on the season.
Making his first start as a Chanticleer, Knorr threw 6.1 innings, allowing one unearned run, and striking out a career-high 10 strikeouts, yet did not factor in the decision. His 10 punchouts on the night were the most by a Chant pitcher since Zach McCambley fanned 10 hitters versus St. Joseph's on Feb. 21, 2020.
On top of Knorr's 10 strikeouts, the trio of
Riley Eikhoff (0.2 IP, 1 hit, 1 K),
Reece Maniscalco (1.0 IP, 2 K), and
Jack Billings (1.0 IP, 2 hits, 1 ER, 1 BB, 2 Ks) combined to strike out five batters and walk just one over 2.2 innings out of the bullpen.
However, the loss fell to Billings (0-1) as the senior hurler gave up what would prove to be the game-winning run on an RBI-single in the top of the ninth.
Matching the CCU arms was Kent State's three pitchers, as Aidan Longwell (1-0) picked up the win by firing 2.0-scoreless innings, allowing just two hits, one walk, and striking out two over the final two innings of the game.
The Coastal offense totaled nine base hits, yet couldn't get the big hit when the Chants needed to, stranding 11 runners on base in the defeat.
Infielder
Dale Thomas (2-for-4, 2 2B) stayed hot with two doubles on the night, while fellow infielder
Matt McDermott (2-for-3, 3B, run) had a triple and scored the lone run for the Chants.
The other five base hits came from
Zack Beach (2-for-4),
Eric Brown (2-for-3, HBP, BB), and
Derek Bender (1-for-3) with Bender's being the first of his collegiate career.
The Golden Flashes had five players combine for their six hits led by Justin Kirby (2-for-3, RBI) and his RBI-single in the ninth.
The Golden Flashes scored first in the top of the first inning, as the lead-off hitter Kyle Jackson struck out but reached base safely on a passed ball to start the game.
Following a single to center field to put two runners on base for the visiting team, CCU got a 1-6 double-play to get two outs and hold the lead runner at second base. However, a Justin Miknis two-out single up the middle drove in Jackson from second to put the Golden Flashes on top 1-0 in the first inning.
While Knorr settled in on the mound, stranding one Kent State runner on base in both the second, third, and sixth innings, and pitching back-to-back 1-2-3 innings in the fourth and fifth frames, the offense was able to tie the game up in the bottom of the third inning on McDermott lead-off triple and a
Nick Lucky RBI-ground out three batters later to put the score at 1-1 after six complete.
After Eikhoff pitched around a hit in the top of the seventh, the Chants loaded the bases in the bottom half of the inning but was unable to plate the go-ahead run and kept the game tied at 1-1 heading into the eighth.
Maniscalco cruised through the eighth inning, striking out two hitters in a 1-2-3 frame, while again the Chants left the go-ahead runner on base in the bottom half of the inning following a Thomas double.
In the ninth, Kent State's Longwell led off the inning with a single and then moved up to second on a ground ball deep in the hole on the right side of the infield. Two batters later, after an intentional walk to put runners on first and second, Billings picked up a strikeout for the second out in the inning.
CCU was not out of it yet, as the next Kent State hitter singled through the left side which allowed Longwell to slide in at home just ahead of a throw from Lucky in left field to put the visitors in front 2-1.
Down to their final three outs, the Chanticleers put both the tying and the winning runs on base in the bottom of the ninth but were unable to drive in a run as a strikeout ended the game with the Golden Flashes on top 2-1.
Coastal will host West Virginia (3-0) tomorrow at noon ET on the final day of the Baseball at the Beach Tournament.
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