MT. PLEASANT – Coastal Carolina only managed three hits and dropped an 11-4 decision to College of Charleston Tuesday night at Patriots Point. The Chanticleers, ranked 20th, had their seven-game win streak snapped while the Cougars, ranked 30th, won their fifth straight and tied the all-time series between the two schools at 23-23.
Matt Beaird was a bright spot for Coastal (19-8). The senior catcher threw out two Cougar (20-6) base runners to increase his Sun Belt leading total to 12. (He has thrown out 12 of 15 attempts this season while also leading the league by picking off five runners.)
Coastal got on the scoreboard in the top of the first. Cory Wood doubled and scored after a pair of wild pitches.
The Cougars answered with two runs in the bottom of the first. Dupree Hart drew a leadoff walk and Luke Morgan followed with a single. Logan McRae doubled off the centerfield walk to bring home Hart. Danny Wondrack hit a sacrifice fly to right field to bring home Morgan, but Kieton Rivers threw out McRae at third for a double play. The Cougars loaded the bases and push the third run across when Luke Manzo walked.
The Chants tied the game in the second, Parker Chavers and Michael Koenig walked. After a passed ball, Beaird plated Chavers with an RBI ground out and Rivers brought home Koenig with a single up the middle.
Charleston regained the lead in the bottom of the second. Hart singled and moved to third on a hit and run single by Morgan. McRae came through with a sac fly to score Hart.
Coastal once again tied the game, 4-4, in the top of the third. Zach Biermann walked to start the frame and Lee Sponseller singled. After Beaird walked to load the bases, the Cougars brought in a new pitcher, who promptly walked Rivers on four pitches to force in Biermann.
The Cougars bounced back to score twice in the bottom of the third to lead 6-4. Tommy Richter walked and scored on a hit-and-run double by K.J. Bryant. Manzo followed with an RBI single to center. CofC added two more runs in the fourth on a two-run home run by Wondrack.
The pitchers took over in the middle innings before McRae hit a three-run home run in the bottom of the eighth to put the Cougars up 11-4.
Clay Hunt (2-0) pitched the final 6.1 innings for the Cougars and got the win. He did not allow a hit, allowed just one walk and struck out a career-high 11. Patrick Orlando (2-1) suffered the loss as he allowed two hits and three runs (two earned) in two innings.
Coastal will stay on the road to play a Sun Belt series at Georgia Southern. Games are set for Thursday, Friday and Saturday.
