Box Score CONWAY, S.C. – Coastal Carolina baseball led the College of Charleston 7-2 midway through the seventh inning when the game was suspended due to lightning and rain on Wednesday night in Conway, S.C.
 
With the game suspended, it is not an official game until it is completed at a later date.
 
The game will continue with the Chanticleers hitting in the bottom of the seventh inning with a 7-2 lead.
 
The offense was powered by a three-run home run from Zack Beach (1-for-2, HR, HBP, 3 RBIs, run) and a pair of RBIs from both Derek Bender (2-for-2, HR, BB, 2 RBIs, run) and Graham Brown (1-for-2, 2B, BB, 2 RBIs, run).
 
For CofC at the plate, lead-off hitter Tyler Sorrentino (1-for-3, RBI) had the lone RBI, while both Sam Cochrane (1-for-3) and Preston Hall (1-for-3) each had a base hit for the game.
 
The Chanticleers jumped out to a big four-run lead with back-to-back home runs in the bottom of the second inning, the first one a three-run home run to left field off the bat of Beach, which was followed by a solo shot to left-center field by Bender to cap the four-run second inning.
 
The back-to-back home runs are the first this season for the Coastal Carolina offense.
 
Following 3.0-scoreless innings from starter Jack Billings on the mound, including striking out three hitters and allowing just one base hit, the Chanticleers added to their lead in the bottom of the fourth inning on an RBI-single from Bender to put the home team in front at 5-0.
 
After back-to-back 1-2-3 scoreless innings by freshman right-hander Matthew Potok over the fourth and fifth frames, Coastal remained hot at the plate, as Graham Brown lined a two-run double to right field with the bases loaded to push the lead to 7-0 after five complete innings.
 
The Cougars put their first runner on base since the second inning in the top of the sixth, as a hit batter and walk set up an RBI-single from Sorrentino to put the visitors down 7-1.
 
On the ensuing play, Sorrentino was thrown out at trying to steal second base by CCU's Bender, which allowed Joseph Mershon to score from third on the throw and put the score at 7-2 heading into the bottom of the sixth.
 
Neither team would score over their next at-bat before the lightning and rain rolled into to halt the game in the seventh-inning stretch.
 
Coastal (16-10-1, 5-3-1 SBC) will stay at home and jump back into Sun Belt Conference play versus Georgia State (19-10, 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.