CONWAY, S.C. – For just the second time in the 2022 season, the Coastal Carolina Chanticleers gave up a big inning, as the Xavier Musketeers scored four runs in the top of the eighth to pull ahead for a 9-5 win on Friday afternoon at Springs Brooks Stadium.
 
With the loss, the Chants fell to 8-6 on the year. The win was the fifth-straight victory for the Musketeers who improved to 5-9 on the season.
 
Despite registering double-digit strikeouts for the fifth time this season with 10 punch-outs, the Coastal pitching staff gave up a combined seven runs over the sixth, seventh, and eighth innings in the loss.
 
Starting pitcher Nick Parker made his first quality start of the season, allowing just three runs on three hits, two walks, and six strikeouts over 6.0-complete innings, yet did not factor in the decision.
 
The loss fell to reliever Teddy Sharkey (0-1), as the right-handed hurler gave up two unearned runs on one hit, one walk, one strikeout, and one error over 0.2 innings out of the bullpen.
 
For the Musketeers, starter Trevor Olson lasted just 4.0-plus innings, surrendering three runs on three hits, four walks, and two strikeouts, however, the Xavier bullpen held the Chanticleers to just two runs, on three hits, one walk, and six strikeouts over the final 5.0 innings with Jonathan Kelly (2-0) picking up the win and Lane Flamm (2) earning the save in the ninth.
 
Offensively, the Chants had six hits, including two home runs, but left 11 runners on base in the loss.
 
Junior Dale Thomas (1-for-4, HR, BB, RBI, 2 runs) hit his team-leading fifth home run on the season, while classmate Tanner Garrison (1-for-4, HR, RBI, run) belted his first home run of the year.
 
Junior Cooper Weiss (1-for-2, BB, HBP, RBI, run, SB) and super senior Matt McDermott (2-for-3, BB, RBI) each had an RBI on the day, while senior Nick Lucky (1-for-4) extended his hitting streak to four consecutive games.
 
Xavier matched Coastal with two home runs of its own in the win, as four different players had two hits apiece for the game. Shortstop Jack Housinger (2-for-4, HR, SF, 4 RBIs, run, SB) drove in a game-high four RBIs, including a two-run home run in the first inning, while fellow middle infielder Jared Cushing (2-for-3, 2B, 3 RBIs, 2 runs) added three RBIs in the victory.
 
The Musketeers took an early 2-0 lead in the top of the first inning on a two-run home run from Housinger just two batters into the game.
 
However, after the Chanticleers scored a run in the bottom of the first on a walk, single, and a Musketeer throwing error and tied the game up in the second inning on a McDermott RBI-single to right field, Parker settled down on the mound to give up just one hit over the second, third, fourth, and fifth innings.
 
Coastal took its first lead of the game in the bottom of the fourth on a Garrison solo home run to left field and then added to its lead one inning later in the bottom of the fifth with an RBI-single up the middle by Weiss to put the home team in front at 4-2 heading into the sixth inning.
 
Xavier cut the CCU lead to one at 4-3 with a two-out home run from Andrew Walker in the top of the sixth and then retook the lead just one inning later with an RBI-double and a sacrifice fly in the top of the seventh to put the visitors in front at 5-4.
 
CCU's Thomas quickly tied the game back up at 5-5 with a solo home run to start the bottom half of the seventh, however, it would be the Musketeers who would score the last four runs of the game, all in the top of the eighth inning.
 
With the score tied at 5-5, the Musketeers led off the eighth inning with a single up the middle and then a walk to put runners on first and second with no outs.
 
Looking to move the runners up 90-feet, Xavier laid down a sacrifice bunt. However, the throw from the CCU pitcher was offline to first base and allowed the lead runner from second to score on the play and put the visitors in front at 6-5.
 
Following a walk and a 5-2-3 double-play by the CCU defense, Coastal looked to be able to evade the big inning and get out of the jam with any further damage done until the Musketeers strung together three consecutive two-out base hits to plate three more runs and take a 9-5 lead into the bottom half of the inning.
 
The Chanticleers stranded two runners in the eighth and had the bases loaded in the ninth by way of three hit batters, yet failed to push a run across over the final two innings of play to fall to the Musketeers 9-5.
 
Coastal and Xavier are slated to play a twin bill tomorrow with the first pitch for game one set for 1 p.m. ET.
 
For complete coverage of CCU baseball, follow the Chants on social media @CoastalBaseball (Twitter), facebook.com/CCUChanticleers (Facebook), @GoCCUsports (Instagram), or visit the official home of Coastal Carolina Athletics at www.GoCCUsports.com.