JONESBORO, Ark. – Coastal Carolina used three big innings, including scoring 10 runs over the final two innings of play, to complete the sweep of the Arkansas State Red Wolves with a 16-8 Sunday series-finale win in Jonesboro, Ark.
 
The three-game weekend series sweep is the first of the season for the Chanticleers who improved to 16-10-1 overall and 5-3-1 in Sun Belt play. The loss dropped Arkansas State to 5-20 overall and 0-9 in league play.
 
With the win, the Chants also improved to 10-2 all-time versus the Red Wolves and a perfect 6-0 at Tomlinson Stadium-Kell Field in Jonesboro.
 
Following a career-high 11 strikeouts from Michael Knorr on Saturday, senior right-handed pitcher Nick Parker (1-1) recorded his first win of the season on his third quality start of the year. Parker allowed just three runs, two of which were earned, on five hits, three walks, and a career-high eight strikeouts over 7.0-complete innings.
 
Taking the loss for the Red Wolves was starter Jakob Frederick (0-1) who was hit up for six runs on eight hits, including a pair of two-run home runs, no walks, and two strikeouts over 4.0 innings on the mound.
 
The Chanticleers scored 16 runs on 16 hits and stranded just three runners on base for the contest.
 
CCU's offense was led by the top of the order, as lead-off hitter Austin White (4-for-6, 2 runs, 4 SB) had a game-high four base hits, while two-hole hitter Eric Brown (2-for-5, HR, 2B, 4 RBIs, SB) hit a two-run home run and three-hole hitter Tyler Johnson (1-for-2, SF, BB, RBI) drove in an RBI in the win.
 
The bottom of the order was led by a two-run home run from freshman Derek Bender (1-for-4, HR, HBP, 2 RBIs, run) and a double each from both Zack Beach (2-for-4, 2B, BB, run) and Matt McDermott (1-for-4, 2B, SF, RBI, run). Sophomore Billy Underwood (1-for-1, RBI, 2 runs), who entered the game as a pinch-runner had an RBI and scored two runs off the bench, while fellow outfielder Graham Brown (1-for-4, HBP, 2 RBIs) drove in two runs in the top of the ninth.
 
Arkansas State six different players register a hit on the day led by Jaylon Deshazier (2-for-5, run), Mickey Coyne (2-for-4, BB, 2 RBIs), and Wil French (2-for-4, run) with two hits apiece, while Daedrick Cail (1-for-2, 2 BB, HBP, 3 RBIs, 2 runs) had three RBIs in the loss.
 
Just two batters into the Sunday series finale, the Chanticleers took a 2-0 lead on a White lead-off single and a Brown two-run shot over the left-field wall to push the visitors out in front in the top of the first inning.
 
While the Chanticleers went down in order in the second, third, and fourth innings, the Red Wolves put the lead-off hitter on base in each of the first three innings and finally scored in the bottom of the third on a single, sacrifice bunt and CCU throwing error, a wild pitch, and then a two-run single from Cail to tie the game up at 2-2 through three innings of play.
 
The top of the fifth inning mirrored the first, as Beach led off the frame with a base hit on a double to right field before Bender launched his first career home run into the A-State bullpen in right-center field to put the visitors back in front by two at 4-2.
 
However, this time the Chants continued the inning with a double from McDermott and a bunt single by White to put runners on the corners.
 
Following an A-State pitching change, the Chants picked up an RBI-ground out to first base from Brown and a sacrifice fly to left field from Johnson to cap the four-inning run and extend the lead to 6-2 midway through the fifth inning.
 
For the fourth time in the first five innings, the Red Wolves put the lead-off hitter on base in the bottom of the fifth on a walk, as this time the runner came around to score on a single and wild pitch to cut the Chants' lead to three at 6-3 heading into the sixth inning of play.
 
Neither team would score until the eighth inning, as the Chanticleers would take advantage of three walks, two hit batters, and three passed balls to plate four runs and push their lead out to seven at 10-3.
 
Yet the Red Wolves refused to roll over, as the home team strung together three base hits to plate one run and put the score at 10-4. Following a hit-by-pitch and a strikeout for out number two in the inning, a hit-by-pitch with the bases loaded gave A-State another run to cut the CCU lead to five at 10-5.
 
The next A-State hitter laced a single to right field to score two more runs before a wild pitch with a runner on third put the score at 10-8 and brought the tying run to the plate.
 
Teddy Sharkey was able to get a fly out to left-center field to end the inning with the Chants still on top by two at 10-8 with one inning to play.
 
CCU then blew the game back open in the top of the ninth with a six-spot, as the Chanticleers picked up an RBI-double from Eric Brown followed by an RBI-single by Underwood to give the Chants a 12-8 advantage.
 
Following a walk and a bunt single by Nick Lucky to load the bases, Graham Brown lined a two-run single to center field. On the play, the A-State center fielder misplayed the ball which allowed another run to score and extend the lead to 15-8.
 
Two batters later, McDermott drove in Graham Brown from third on a sacrifice fly to double up the Red Wolves at 16-8.
 
Coastal's Reece Maniscalco came in to shut the door, as he struck out two in a 1-2-3 inning in the bottom of the ninth to give the Chanticleers the three-game conference series sweep.
 
Coastal will return home for a five-game home-stand starting with UNCW (16-11) on Tuesday, April 5, at 6 p.m. ET. The Chants will then turn around to host College of Charleston (16-12) on Wednesday, April 6, at 6 p.m. ET before jumping back into Sun Belt Conference play versus Georgia State (18-10, 7-2 SBC) on April 8-10.
 
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.