Coastal Carolina (5-2) posted a 12-run first inning and never looked back in a 25-2 win over the Cincinnati Bearcats in the final game on Sunday at Springs Brooks Stadium.
Oliver Ellison (2-0) earned his second victory as a Chanticleer as he allowed just three hits, no runs, and no walks while striking out one in relief.
Coastal's starter Ryan Lynch did not factor in the decision as he allowed one hit, two runs, and walked two batters in 0.1 innings.
The Bearcats (3-3) opened the scoring on a walk by leadoff hitter Dalton Pearson, who scored on Tommy O'Connor's home run to right center to lead 2-0. The Chanticleers started their half of the inning with a bang as Sam Antonacci (2-for-1, HR, 2 RBI, 3R) led off with his first career home run as a Chant down the right field line. Caden Bodine followed with a walk before Derek Bender (2-for-3, 1 RBI, 3R) reached base via a hit by pitch. Zach Beach (1-for-4, HR, 4 RBI, 2R) started a home run barrage with a three-run blast over the batter's eye in center field. Graham Brown (3-for-3, 2B, HR,4 RBI, 3R) and Jake Books (2-for-3, HR, 2 RBI, 1R) made it three long balls in a row for Coastal Carolina as the Chants took a 6-2 lead before recording their first out.
After a Cincinnati error and walk, Ty Dooley advanced the runners to second and third with a sacrifice bunt. Antonacci, up for the second time in the inning, walked to load the bases before Bodine and Bender both reached on a hit by pitch to score Blake Barthol and Dean Mihos to push the lead 8-2. Beach made it 9-2 with a grounder to third before Brown doubled into the left-field corner to give the Chants an 11-2 lead. Books drove in his second RBI of the game with a single to put Coastal up 12-2 at the end of the first.
Cincinnati loaded the bases with two outs to threaten before Landyn Vidourek grounded out to second to end the threat in the top of the second. The Chanticleers loaded the bases on a single, hit by pitch, and walk before Bender hit a sacrifice fly. Beach reached on the second error by the Bearcats to push two across to increase the lead to 14-2. Brown, Barthol, and Ty Dooley added the final four runs of the inning to give Coastal an 18-2 lead.
The Bearcats led off the third with a single before the next three batters were retired. With two outs in the home half of the third inning, the Chanticleers added five runs to lead 23-2.
Over the next four innings, both teams combined for four hits to keep the score 23-2. Coastal added two late runs in the bottom of the eighth for the final tally of 25-2.
Coastal Carolina will host Campbell at 4 p.m. on Tuesday, February 27, at Springs Brooks Stadium. The game will be streamed on ESPN+.
