STATESBORO, GA. – Caden Bodine drove in three runs to lead the No. 20 Coastal Carolina Chanticleers to a 7-3 Sun Belt Conference win over the Georgia Southern Eagles in Statesboro, Ga., on Friday night.
 
Coastal Carolina (23-10, 8-5 SBC) starter Riley Eikhoff (4-0) worked 5.1 innings, allowing three runs on seven hits with three strikeouts. Georgia Southern's Jacob Phillips (2-2) suffered the loss and pitched 3.2 innings, giving up four runs on five hits while striking out three. The Eagles' Thomas Higgins did not factor in the decision throwing 5.0 innings and allowing six hits and two walks for two runs with four strikeouts.
 
CCU's Sam Antonacci (2-for-4, 2Rs, 2RBIs) and Bodine (3-for-4, R, 3RBIs) paced the offense with multiple hits, while Blake Barthol (1-for-4, 2B, R), Derek Bender (1-for-5), Zack Beach (1-for-3, 2B, R, RBI), Graham Brown (1-for-4, 2B, RBI), and Jake Books (1-for-3, R) added one hit each.
 
The Chanticleers' Antonacci extended his hit streak to 16 games with a leadoff single in the top of the first. The Springfield, Ill., native stole second before scoring the first run of the game on Bodine's two-out RBI single to left to give Coastal a 1-0 lead.
 
Georgia Southern answered in the home half of the first inning as Josh Tate singled up to the middle and advanced to third on a double down the right-field line by Sam Blancato. With runners in scoring position, Jarrett Brown singled to left center to give the Eagles a 2-1 advantage at the end of one.
 
In the top of the second, Coastal's Books led off with a single to left. After a flyout to right, Books was doubled up on a 6-3 double play groundball. Georgia Southern took a 3-1 lead in the bottom of the second following a two-out walk and an infield single by Tate along with a throwing error to score Cade Parker from first.
 
CCU cut the deficit to one in the top of the third as Bodine hit a two-out single to score Barthol, who doubled down the right-field line with one out. The Eagles loaded the bases with two outs on singles by JD Kaiser and D Haab but could not capitalize.
 
After back-to-back innings where Coastal had the bases loaded and was unable to take advantage, the Chants retook the lead in the top of the sixth as Books worked a 3-2 count into a walk and moved to second on a fielding error by the Eagles. A Ty Dooley sacrifice bunt put runners on second and third with one out before Antonacci singled up the middle to make the score 4-3.
 
Georgia Southern's Tate led off the home half of the seventh with the final hit of the game for the Eagles and the first since the fourth inning.
 
The Chanticleers added three insurance runs in the top of the ninth as Antonacci reached via a walk and moved to second on a sac bunt by Barthol. Bodine drove in his third run of the game with a single to left and was promptly brought home on a double by Beach. Brown plated Beach with a double to close out the scoring for CCU.
 
The Chants' Dominick Carbone worked the final inning with two strikeouts and a line out to seal the win for Coastal.
 
Coastal Carolina will remain in Statesboro, Ga., for game two with Georgia Southern Eagles on Saturday, April 13. The first pitch is scheduled for 2 p.m. ET. The games will be streamed on ESPN+.
 
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.