WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. – In a top-10 non-conference midweek matchup, the No. 5/6 Coastal Carolina Chanticleers struggled to find both the strike zone and their offense in an 11-1 run-rule loss to No. 2 Wake Forest on Tuesday night at David F. Couch Ballpark in Winston-Salem, N.C.
The loss dropped Coastal to 26-13 overall on the season, while Wake Forest improved to 35-6 overall with the win.
The two teams split the two-game season series, as the Chanticleers defeated then-No. 2/5 Demon Deacons 13-11 back on March 7.
CCU is still 6-4 on the season versus top-25 ranked teams this year.
With the loss, the Chanticleers have now lost two consecutive games for the first time since February.
Uncharacteristic of the Coastal offense this season, the Chanticleers struggled at the plate with runners on base, hitting just 1-for-11 (.091) and an even worse 0-for-7 (.000) with runners in scoring position.
With that, coupled with 12 strikeouts, the Coastal offense was held to a season-low one run and tied its season-low of just five base hits.
Senior
Zack Beach (1-for-2, HR, RBI, run) provided the lone run with a solo home run, while fellow infielders
Ty Dooley (2-for-3) and
Payton Eeles (1-for-4), as well as designated hitter
Derek Bender (1-for-3) recorded the other four base hits in the loss.
In the other dugout, the Wake Forest offense hit .389 (7-for-18) with runners on base, .357 (5-for-14) with runners in scoring position, and an even better .444 (4-for-9) with two outs.
The Demon Deacons, who lead the nation in walks drawn, took advantage of 12 free passes on 11 walks and one hit batter, to score 11 runs despite leaving 10 runners on base.
First baseman Nick Kurtz (1-for-4, HR, BB, 4 RBIs, 2 runs, SB) provided the highlight of the night with a grand slam, while second baseman Justin Johnson (2-for-4, 2B, 3 RBIs) capped the win with a two-run double in the bottom of the seventh inning.
Taking the loss for the Chants was super senior
John Kelly (0-1), who made his first career start. The righty gave up two runs on three hits and four walks over 1.0-plus inning of work.
Picking up the win on the mound for the Deacons was starter Seth Keener (6-0), as he stayed unbeaten by firing 5.0 strong innings, allowing just one run on five hits and six strikeouts.
The theme all night was the Demon Deacons taking advantage of free passes, as in the very first inning the home team followed a lead-off single with a pair of walks to score on a bases-loaded RBI single and a sacrifice fly to go up 2-0 after one inning of play.
The Coastal offense stranded a runner on second base in both the second and third innings and after a bases-loaded 3-6-1 double play by Wake Forest got the Chanticleers out of the inning in the bottom of the second the Wake Forest offense tacked on two more runs in the bottom of the third on a solo home run from Brock Wilken and a bases-loaded walk to Tommy Hawke to extend the lead to 4-0.
The Chants got on the scoreboard in the top of the fifth inning on a solo home run to right-center field off the bat of Beach, his 11th home run of the season, to cut the Demon Deacons' lead to three at 4-1 midway through the fifth frame.
However, the walks would rear its ugly head again in the bottom of the fifth inning. Following a quick two outs to the inning, three straight walks and a wild pitch allowed one runner to score from third to push the lead to 5-1.
After another walk, the fourth in the inning, Wake Forest's Kurtz blasted a grand slam to right-center field to clear the bases and blow the game open at 9-1 heading into the sixth inning of play.
Coastal stranded two runners on base in the sixth and went down in order in the seventh before the Demon Deacons ended the game in the bottom of the seventh inning with a two-out, two-run double from Johnson to invoke the 10-run rule at 11-1.
The Chants (26-13, 13-5 Sun Belt) will stay on the road for another pivotal Sun Belt Conference three-game series at Louisiana (27-15, 10-8 Sun Belt) this weekend, April 28-30.
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.
