CONWAY, S.C. – In the first midweek game of the 2023 season, the Coastal Carolina baseball team fell to the No. 21 nationally-ranked NC State Wolfpack 16-4 on Wednesday night at Springs Brooks Stadium.

The loss dropped Coastal to 2-2 on the season, while with the win, NC State remained unbeaten at 4-0.

On a designated staff day for both teams, the Chanticleers' Riley Eikhoff (0-1) started the contest but left early, but not before taking the loss. The redshirt sophomore hurler gave up two runs on three hits and one strikeout over 1.0 inning.

The win went to NC State's Sam Highfill (1-0), as the righty reliever was the most effective pitcher for the Wolfpack, firing 1.1-scoreless innings midway through the contest.

Overall, a combined 14 pitchers for both teams took the mound, nine for Coastal and five for NC State, with four Chant pitchers seeing action for the first time this season.

Offensively for the Chants, eight different Chants had at least one hit on the night, led by two hits apiece from outfielder Graham Brown (2-for-3, HBP, run) and first baseman Derek Bender (2-for-3), while the bottom three hitters of the lineup in Payton Eeles (1-for-2, SF, HBP, RBI, run, SB), Anthony Galason (1-for-2, SF, BB, 2 RBIs, run), and Dean Mihos (1-for-2, RBI) combined to drive in the four runs.

NC State's offense reeled off 15 base hits, including nine extra-base hits highlighted by two home runs and six RBIs from Parker Nolan (4-for-5, 2 HR, 2B, 6 RBIs, 4 runs). Also posting multiple hits in the win were Trevor Candelaria (3-for-5, 3B, 2B, 3 RBIs, 2 runs), Will Marcy (2-for-3, HR, BB, 2 RBIs, 3 runs), Payton Green (2-for-5, 2B, run, SB), and Kalae Harrison (2-for-4, sac bunt, 2 runs).

The Wolfpack pounced out to an early 2-0 lead in the top of the first inning on a two-out home run from Marcy, only to see the Chanticleers answer with a run in the bottom of the second on three-straight singles and a sacrifice fly by Galason to cut the NC State lead in half at 2-1.

With two runners on and one out in the inning, Coastal looked to tie the game up but saw a 4-6-3 double play end the frame and keep the visitors in front 2-1 after two innings of play.

After neither team scored in the third inning, the Wolfpack strung together three big innings in the fourth, fifth, and sixth frames to blow the game open.

NC State plated five runs in the top of the fourth started by an RBI double down the third-base line from Nolan and then followed by a two-run double down the same baseline by Eli Serrano III to push the lead out to 5-1.

As the inning continued, a CCU throwing error on a sacrifice bunt attempt allowed another runner to score for the Pack, who then capped the five-run fifth with an RBI single from LuJames Groover III to extend the lead to six at 7-1 midway through the fourth.

With two outs in the bottom of the fourth, the Chants were able to scratch across two runs as Eeles was hit by a pitch and then quickly stole second base. Galason singled through the right side to plate Eeles and keep the inning alive.

Following an NC State pitching change, Mihos hit an RBI single to right-center field to score Galason to trim the Wolfpack's lead to four at 7-3 with five innings to play.

However, the Wolfpack would post back-to-back four-run innings in the fifth and sixth innings, highlighted by a two-run triple by Candelaria in the fifth and a three-run home run from Nolan in the sixth, to allow the visitors to run out to a 15-3 lead midway through the sixth inning.

Coastal stranded two in the sixth before Nolan blasted his second home run of the game in the top of the eighth to put the Pack on top 16-3.

A sacrifice fly from Eeles in the bottom half of the eighth capped the scoring for both teams, as NC State picked up the midweek non-conference road win.

The Chanticleers stranded eight runners on base and hit into three double plays, while NC State left six runners on base.

Coastal will stay at home to host Creighton (2-1) for a three-game series this weekend, Feb. 24-26, 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.