MT. PLEASANT, S.C. – Coastal Carolina saw a 3-0 lead erased late in the contest on Tuesday night, as the Chanticleers fell 4-3 on the road at the College of Charleston in Mt. Pleasant, S.C.
The loss dropped Coastal to 4-4 overall and 0-2 in midweek contests. With the win, Charleston moved to 4-3 overall.
The loss snapped a three-game winning streak for the Chants over the Cougars.
Despite a solid start from super senior
Jack Billings, who struck out two hitters and allowed just two hits over 2.0-complete innings, and a career outing by sophomore pitcher
Darin Horn, who fired a career-high 4.0-scoreless innings and struck out four CofC hitters, the Chanticleers were unable to steal a road win.
The loss fell to junior transfer
Alex Edmondson (0-1), as the righty gave up two runs on two hits, two walks, and one strikeout in 1.0 inning of work out of the bullpen.
While the Cougars used four pitchers on the night, the win went to 2022 Colonial Athletic Association Pitcher of the Year William Privette (1-0), as the reliever struck out one over a scoreless eighth and ninth innings.
Coastal's offense used the long ball to score all three of its runs for the game, as sophomore
Derek Bender (2-for-4, HR, 2 RBIs, run) hit a two-run home run in the second and senior
Graham Brown (1-for-4, HR, RBI, run) added a solo home run in the sixth.
However, the Chants had just seven hits for the game compared to 12 strikeouts at the plate.
The Cougars' offense had just eight base hits on the night but was able to plate four runs, highlighted by Jared Kirven (3-for-4, 2B, 2 runs) and his game-high three hits. William Baumhofer (1-for-4, 2B, 2 RBIs) had a two-run double, while Luke Wood (1-for-1, 2B, RBI) and Khyree Miller (1-for-3, BB, RBI, run) had one RBI each in the win.
After both teams stranded a runner in the first inning, the Chants took a 2-0 lead in the top of the second on a two-run opposite field home run off the bat of Bender. The home run was his first of the season.
Billings and Horn combined to strikeout six hitters and strand three Cougar runners over the second, third, fourth, fifth, and sixth innings, while the Chants added to their lead with a solo home run to straightaway center field by Brown in the top of the sixth. The long ball was the third of the year for Brown.
However, the Cougars were able to cut into the Chants' 3-0 lead in the bottom of the seventh, as Kirven led off the inning with a double to left field. After a ground out moved Kirven to third base, Miller hit a ball deep in the hole on the left side of the infield and legged out a base hit to plate Kirven to put the score at 3-1.
On the play, an errant throw to first base allowed Miller to advance to second base, which proved to hurt the Chants, as two batters later, Wood hit a pinch-hit double to right-center field to score Miller and cut the Coastal lead to one at 3-2.
Following a 1-2-3 inning for the Chants in the top of the eighth, the Cougars struck again in the bottom half of the inning as Baumhofer delivered a double down the left-field line and just out of the reach of a diving
Chad Born to score two more runs and put the home team on top 4-3.
With three outs left, Privette was able to send the Chants down in order in the top of the ninth to seal the come-from-behind win by the Cougars.
The Chanticleers stranded six runners on base compared to the Cougars' seven.
However, CCU also hit into two double plays and was just 2-for-15 (.133) with runners in scoring position for the game.
Coastal will return home to host the Davidson Wildcats for a three-game series this weekend, March 3-5, 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.
