CONWAY, S.C. – Coastal Carolina and ULM combined to turn seven double plays on Friday night, as the Chanticleers fell to the Warhawks 3-2 in the two teams' Sun Belt Conference opener at Springs Brooks Stadium.
The loss dropped Coastal to 10-7 overall on the year and 0-1 in Sun Belt play, while with the win ULM moved to 5-11 overall and 1-0 in league action. The win was also ULM's first-ever of CCU in 12 tries (11-1).
Neither team left a lot of runners on base, as CCU stranded six runners, while ULM left five on the base paths.
Recording his second consecutive quality start was senior right-handed pitcher
Nick Parker (0-1), as despite allowing just three runs on nine hits, one walk, and four strikeouts over 7.0-complete innings, he was left with the loss.
ULM's Cam Barlow (2-1) earned the win, as the lefty starter held Coastal to just one run on one hit, six walks, and struck out two over 5.2 innings. The save went to reliever Carson Orton (2), as he struck out two and walked one over the final 1.1 innings in the win.
The Coastal offense drew eight walks on the night, yet couldn't find the bats at the plate, registering just four hits in the contest. Outfielders
Nick Lucky (1-for-2, SF, BB, RBI) and
Austin White (0-for-2, SF, BB, RBI, run) each had an RBI on a sacrifice fly, while second baseman
Matt McDermott (1-for-3, run, SB) had a stolen base and scored a run.
ULM's offense picked up 10 base hits, including a home run from second baseman Travis Washington (2-for-2, HR, BB, RBI, run) and a pair of RBI base hits from Caleb Sterling (2-for-4, 2B, RBI, run) and Mason Holt (1-for-4, RBI).
The Warhawks took a 2-0 lead in the top of the second on back-to-back doubles from Colby Deaville and Sterling, with the latter cutting just out of reach of a diving
Cooper Weiss at first base.
Three batters later, Holt ripped a single just past a diving
Dale Thomas at third base to plate Sterling and put the visitors in front at 2-0 early.
After hitting into an inning-ending double-play in both the first and second innings, the Chanticleers stranded a runner on base in both the third and fourth innings to head to the fifth frame down 2-0.
Parker, who allowed just one hit over the third and fourth innings combined, gave up a lead-off home run to Washington to start the top of the fifth to push ULM's lead to 3-0 midway through the fifth inning.
Following a ULM double play to end the bottom of the fifth for the Chants and a Coastal Carolina double play in the top of the sixth to keep ULM from adding to its lead, the CCU offense took advantage of a one-out walk and an errant throw on a pickoff attempt at first base to put a runner on third with just one out in the bottom of the sixth.
Lucky would hit a deep fly ball to right field to score the runner from third to put the home team on the scoreboard.
Coastal would again cut into the ULM lead in the bottom of the eighth, as McDermott singled to left field to start the inning. The super senior then swiped second and moved up to third on a passed ball before White hit a sacrifice fly to center field to plate McDermott and close the gap to one at 3-2.
Reliever
Elliot Carney would pitch around a single in the top of the ninth with the help of another double play to send the Chants to their final at-bat down just one run.
Coastal's Weiss would lead off the final frame with a walk and then move up to second on a sacrifice bunt by
Graham Brown. However, the next two Coastal hitters would strike out swinging to leave the tying run on second in the 3-2 loss.
With impending weather in the forecast for Saturday afternoon/evening, the two teams will play game two of the three-game series starting tomorrow at 11 a.m. ET at Springs Brooks Stadium.
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.
