MOBILE, Ala. – No. 8 Coastal Carolina scored 11 runs in the first inning and did not look back in a 16-10 win over South Alabama in the series finale on Sunday afternoon to take the three-game series sweep over the Jaguars in Mobile, Ala.
 
The Chanticleers' 11-run first inning was the most runs scored in one inning this season, topping the 10-run seventh inning in the home win over Illinois on March 10. The 11 runs are the most scored in the first inning for the Chanticleers since they scored 10 runs in their first at-bat in the road win at Clemson last year on March 22, 2022.
 
CCU improved to 25-0 on the year when scoring double-digit runs and 29-5 on the season when totaling six runs or more for the game.
 
With the series sweep, the Chanticleers took the series win and extended their streak to 15 consecutive Sun Belt Conference series wins dating back to April 8-10, 2022, of last season.
 
The Sun Belt Conference sweep is the second of the season for the Chants, who swept Georgia State in Atlanta, Ga., back on March 31-April 2.
 
Seven different Chanticleer hitters drove in at least one RBI in the win, led by three RBIs each from sophomore Derek Bender (3-for-5, HR, 3 RBIs, 3 runs), senior Graham Brown (1-for-5, BB, 3 RBIs, run), and freshman Jake Books (3-for-6, 3 RBIs, run). Adding two RBIs apiece were super seniors Payton Eeles (2-for-5, HBP, 2 RBIs, 2 runs, SB) and Nick Lucky (5-for-5, 2 2B, BB, 2 RBIs, 2 runs, SB), while Lucky had a career-high five base hits in the win.
 
South Alabama's offense plated 10 runs on 12 base hits, led by Will Turner (3-for-4, 2B, BB, RBI, 2 runs) and his team-high three base hits, while Jackson Howard (2-for-6, 2 RBIs, run) and Diego Altamirano (1-for-3, 2B, BB, 2 RBIs, run) both drove in two RBIs in the loss.
 
The two teams combined to leave 24 runners on base, 10 by the Chanticleers and 14 by the Jaguars.
 
Coastal used eight pitchers in the win, started by junior Alex Edmondson, who gave up three runs on three hits, three walks, one hit batter, and three strikeouts over 2.0-plus innings, and ended by junior Teddy Sharkey, who got the final out of the game on a swinging strikeout with the bases loaded.
 
Super senior John Kelly (1-1) picked up the win as he threw a team-high 2.2 innings out of the bullpen, giving up two runs, one of which was earned, on three hits and two strikeouts, while redshirt junior Will Smith struck out the two batters he faced in the seventh inning.
 
Taking the loss was USA starter Caden Homniok (1-2), as the righty gave up seven runs on four hits, two walks, one hit batter, and one strikeout over just 0.2 of an inning.
 
The Jaguars also used eight pitchers in the game, with only two going more than 1.0 inning on the mound.
 
Looking for their second Sun Belt Conference series sweep of the season, the Coastal offense opened up the game with 11 runs in the top of the first inning on 10 base hits.
 
CCU sent 16 hitters to the plate in the first inning, with six different players driving in an RBI in the frame.
 
Freshman designated hitter Caden Bodine opened the inning with an RBI double to left field to score Eeles, who reached base on a hit-by-pitch to start the game. Bender followed with a two-run home run to straightaway center field to extend the Chants lead to 3-0 four batters into the game. The long ball was his team-leading 17th of the season.
 
The inning was just getting started, as Lucky doubled and then scored on an RBI single from Books. A walk, pop-out, and another walk loaded the bases for the top of the order for Eeles, who in his second at-bat of the inning, singled up the middle to score Books from third to put the Chants up 5-0.
 
Eeles' hit was the first of six straight singles, with Brown driving in three runs and Bender, Lucky, and Books all driving in one RBI to push the lead to 11-0 after just half an inning of play.
 
While the Chants' offense cooled off after the torrid start, the Jaguars began the comeback bid with two runs in the bottom of the second inning on a two-out, two-run double to right-center field and two more in the bottom of the third inning on a wild pitch and a sacrifice fly to trim the Chants' lead to seven at 11-4 after three innings played.
 
The scoring picked back up in the sixth inning, as the Chanticleers added to their lead with back-to-back RBI singles from Lucky and Books to run the lead back out to nine at 13-4, only to see the Jaguars answer back with two runs of their own in the bottom half of the frame on an RBI bunt single and a Coastal throwing error to put the score at 13-6 heading into the seventh inning.
 
The Jaguars continued to fight back into the contest, scoring another run in the bottom of the seventh on two singles, a walk, and a fielder's choice to cut the lead to six at 13-7 with the bases still loaded.
 
CCU went to the bullpen for Smith, who struck out the next two USA hitters to leave the bases loaded and keep the visitors in black on top at 13-7 with two innings to play.
 
The Coastal offense struck again in the top of the eighth inning, as Lucky led off the inning with a double and stole third base. Three batters later, after a ground out and walk, Dean Mihos laid down a safety squeeze bunt to plate Lucky from third and doubled up the Jaguars at 14-7.
 
Following a walk to Blake Barthol to keep the inning alive, Eeles lined a single to left field to drive in another Chanticleer runner to spread the lead to eight at 15-7 midway through the eighth inning.
 
The Jaguars tacked on a run in the bottom of the eighth inning on a sacrifice fly, while the Chanticleers added another in the top of the ninth frame on two singles and two wild pitches as pinch-hitter Zack Beach waltzed in from third on a wild pitch to double up the home team at 16-8.
 
However, USA refused to go down without a fight on Senior Day, as the home team picked up a two-run single from Howard and loaded the bases in the bottom of the ninth inning before Sharkey ended the game with a strikeout and the score at 16-10.
 
The Chants (33-17, 20-7 Sun Belt) and the North Carolina Tar Heels (33-17, 14-11 ACC) will meet in a non-conference midweek matchup on Tuesday, May 16, at 6 p.m. ET 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.