CONWAY, S.C. – Despite striking out 13 Charlotte hitters, the No. 7/8 Coastal Carolina Chanticleers fell to the Charlotte 49ers 7-3 in a non-conference midweek contest on Tuesday night at Springs Brooks Stadium.
 
For the second consecutive game, the Chanticleers were unable to string together hits and scored just three runs for the contest.
 
The Coastal pitching staff struck out 13 49er hitters yet gave up 11 free passes with eight walks and three hit batters on the night.
 
Sophomore reliever Darin Horn highlighted the pitching for the Chants on Tuesday night, as the righty gave up just two hits and struck out six of the 10 batters he faced over 3.0-scoreless innings out of the bullpen.
 
CCU's offense was led by the lead-off hitter Payton Eeles (2-for-2, 2 BB, RBI, 2 runs, 2 SB), who reached base all four plate appearances and scored two of the Chants' three runs, while freshman Caden Bodine (0-for-4, RBI) drove in the lone other RBI on a ground ball out in the first inning.
 
The Chants' other four hits came from Derek Bender (1-for-3, BB), Nick Lucky (1-for-3, 2B, BB), Jake Books (1-for-3), and Tanner Garrison (1-for-4, 2B, run).
 
The Charlotte offense took what Coastal gave them, taking advantage of the free passes to drive in seven runs on 12 hits while also stranding 12 runners on base in the win.
 
The 49ers' lead-off hitter Blake Jackson (2-for-5, 2B, HBP, 2 RBIs) led the way with two RBIs, while Kaden Hopson (3-for-4, BB, RBI) and Dante Defranco (3-for-5, 2B, RBI, 2 runs) both had a game-high three base hits.
 
 
Taking the loss for the Men in Teal was right-handed pitcher Alex Edmondson (0-2). He entered the game in the fourth inning and gave up two runs on two walks, a hit batter, and two strikeouts over 1.0-plus inning of work.
 
Earning the win for the 49ers was Collin Kramer (3-4), as the lefty was superb out of the bullpen for the visitors in green. Entering the game in the third inning, he held Coastal's high-powered offense to one run on two hits, two walks, and seven strikeouts over 6.1 innings pitched.
 
Coastal opened the scoring in the bottom of the first inning, as Eeles led off the frame with a single to second and then quickly moved up to third on back-to-back stolen bases. Two batters later, Bodine hit a ground ball to the right side of the infield to plate Eeles to put the home team in front 1-0.
 
The lead did not last for long, however, as the 49ers strung together three base hits around a walk and fielder's choice in the top of the second inning to take a 2-1 lead on a Jackson two-out, two-run double to left field.
 
The Chants, who saw their second-inning threat halted with a double play, tied the game up in the bottom of the third inning as Eeles led off the inning with a walk, moved up to third on back-to-back ground outs, and then scored on a wild pitch to put the score at 2-2 after three innings played.
 
Eeles struck again in the bottom of the fourth inning, this time driving in the run with a two-out, two-strike single up the middle to score Garrison and push the home team back in front by one at 3-2.
 
However, the 49ers again answered in the next half inning, this time taking advantage of three straight walks and a hit batter to tie the game up at 3-3. With the bases still loaded and no outs, Hopson singled to right field to drive in a runner from third to give the lead back to the visitors at 4-3 midway through the fifth inning.
 
Up 4-3 with no outs and the bases loaded, Horn struck out the next three 49er hitters to get the Chants out of the jam and down just one run halfway through the contest.
 
The Coastal offense put one runner on base in each of the fifth, sixth, and seventh innings but couldn't push across a run before the 49ers tacked on two more runs in the top of the eighth inning on a bases-loaded double play and a wild pitch to pull out in front at 6-3.
 
Charlotte added another run in the top of the ninth on a hit-by-pitch and two base hits, with the second base hit an RBI double from Defranco to put the final score at 7-3.
 
The Chants (28-15, 15-6 Sun Belt) will host Appalachian State (22-19, 11-9 Sun Belt) for a three-game Sun Belt Conference series this weekend, May 5-7, 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.