WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. — No. 21 Coastal Carolina dropped a 16-5 decision to Wake Forest in eight innings on Tuesday night at David F. Couch Ballpark.
The Demon Deacons used a five-run third inning and a late seven-run burst in the eighth to pull away in a windy midweek contest. The Chanticleers (27-10) were out-hit 16-9 and left 11 runners on base. Wake Forest (25-13) hit three home runs, including a pair from designated hitter Luke Costello, who drove in six. Coastal left the bases loaded in top of the eighth.
Freshman
Jaxon Appelman made his first collegiate appearance on the mound for Coastal, allowing six runs (all earned) on six hits in two innings of work. He was tagged with the loss.
Despite the score, Coastal jumped out early with a two-run first inning.
Dean Mihos and
Caden Bodine led off with singles, and
Sebastian Alexander later delivered a two-run hit through the right side. After Wake responded with a three-run homer from Dalton Wentz in the bottom half, the Demon Deacons broke things open with a five-run third, capped by Costello's first blast.
Coastal added three more runs in the fourth thanks to a
Ty Dooley RBI single and a two-run double from
Blake Barthol but managed just one hit the rest of the way.
Costello struck again in the seventh with a solo shot to center, and Wake erupted for seven runs in the eighth to end the game early under the 10-run rule.
The top three hitters in Coastal's lineup — Mihos, Bodine, and Dooley — went a combined 5-for-12 with four runs scored. Mihos recorded his 12th multi-hit game of the season.
Blake Barthol drove in two runs on a double in the fourth inning, his 13th extra-base hit of the year and fifth multi-RBI game in 2025.
Coastal tied its season high with four steals (Mitchell 2, Sykes, Mihos) and now has 44 on the year. The Chants have swiped seven bags in the last three games.
UP NEXT
- The Chants return home this weekend for a three-game set with Marshall from Thursday to Saturday at Springs Brooks Stadium. Thursday and Friday's games will start at 6 p.m. ET while Saturday's finale is set for a 1 p.m. first pitch. All three games will air on ESPN+ and the Chanticleer Sports Network.
- Tickets for all Chanticleer baseball home games are available at GoCCUSports.com.