CONWAY – Ohio State scored four runs in the eighth and two in the ninth and held off a Coastal Carolina charge in the ninth to claim a 7-5 victory Sunday afternoon at Springs Brooks Stadium. The Chanticleers will face High Point in game two f a Sunday doubleheader at 3 pm.
Ohio State (9-6) jumped out to a 1-0 lead in the first. Brady Cherry and Noah McGowan drew two-out walks and Conner Pohl hit a seeing-eye single through the left side of the infield to drive in Cherry.
Coastal (12-5) loaded the bases with no outs in the sixth and came away with two runs. Kevin Woodall Jr., walked to start the bottom half and Zach Biermann followed with a single. Lee Sponseller walked to put a Chant on every base. Michael Koenig found the hole at shortstop to drive in Woodall and keep the bases loaded. Lee Sponseller then delivered a sacrifice fly to center to give CCU its lead.
The Chants pushed their lead to 3-1 in the seventh. Lancaster drew a leadoff walk and Parker Chavers reached on a fielder’s choice. Biermann roped a single to right to bring home Lancaster.
The Buckeyes rallied with four runs in the eighth, loading the bases with no outs to start the frame. McGowan scored the Bucs first run on a wild pitch. Pinch hitter Nate Romans hit a two-run double to left-center field. Pinch hitter Andrew Fishel singled to score Romans.
Ohio State pulled away when McGowan hit a two-run home run in the ninth,
Coastal sored two in the ninth. Seth Lancaster singled, Woodall doubled and Biermann had an RBI ground out. With two outs, Kieton Rivers came through with an RB double to right-center. Then, with runners on the corners, Seth Kinkler recorded a strikeout to close the game and improve to 2-1.
