ATLANTA (AP) — No. 21 Coastal Carolina used a combination of patience and timely hitting to overpower Georgia State 14-8 on Saturday afternoon and clinch the Sun Belt Conference series at the GSU Baseball Complex.
The Chanticleers (26-9, 10-4 Sun Belt) drew 14 walks, took advantage of four Georgia State errors, and used a five-run fourth inning to seize control en route to their second straight win in the series. Seven different Coastal players recorded an RBI, highlighted by Caden Bodine's three-RBI performance and a three-run double from pinch-hitter Chad Born in the sixth.
Bodine reached base five times, going 2-for-3 with a pair of walks and a sacrifice fly. Ty Dooley also drove in three runs, including a two-run single in the second, and Walker Mitchell tallied two RBIs with a sac fly and a bases-loaded walk.
Coastal broke a 3-1 game wide open in the fourth with a five-run frame aided by four free passes, a hit batter and a catcher's interference. The Chants then added two runs in the fifth and three in the sixth to build a 13-6 lead.
Darin Horn (2-1) earned the win with 1.1 innings of middle relief, striking out three. Scott Doran tossed the final 2.1 innings to earn the save opportunity, striking out six and closing the door on the Panthers.
Georgia State (22-15, 8-6) was led by Jesse Donohoe's three RBIs, while catcher Colin Hynek and Michael Maginnis each homered. Starter Jake Hembree (0-1) took the loss after allowing six earned runs and six walks in 3.2 innings.
The Chanticleers will go for the sweep in Sunday's series finale at 1 p.m. ET.