May 11, 2004

Box Score

Conway, SC - The Coastal Carolina University baseball team (29-19) scored six runs in the first three innings as the Chants defeated The Citadel (30-20) 8-5 May 11 in Conway, S.C. With the win, Coastal swept the two-game set with the Bulldogs. The game was a make-up from a March 30 rainout.

After senior Ryan McGraw (singled and junior Brett Grandstrand walked, junior Brett Gordon hit a 1-1 pitch over the left field wall for a three-run home run. The Chants tacked on two more runs in the second, the first on a double steal by McGraw and junior Jon Foisy, scoring Foisy. Sophomore Mike Costanzo then singled home McGraw for his 62nd run-batted-in of the season.

The Citadel came back in the third with three runs. Jon Aughey drove in Chris Ard with a single through the right side. Will Coker then brought in Chip Cannon on an infield single. The Bulldogs then had an unearned run on a passed ball that scored Andy Phillips. In the fifth, freshman Derek Martin hit his second home run of the season, a deep shot to left field, to make the score 7-3. The Bulldogs plated two runs in the sixth to cut the lead to 7-5. Mark Egleton was hit by a pitch and moved to third on a Matt Matulia double. Egleton scored on a single to center by Matt Covington and Matulia scored on a wild pitch.

Coastal added insurance in the sixth as back-to-back singles from Grandstrand and Costanzo set the table for an RBI double from senior Chad Oxendine. The Chanticleer bullpen held the Bulldogs scoreless for the rest of the game, giving the Chants its third victory in the last four contests.

Junior Mike Andreas picked up the victory in relief, going 2.1 innings, giving up only one hit and striking out two. Junior Byron Binda struck out two in the ninth for his seventh save of the season. Freshman Andy DeLaGarza started the game for the Chants, going three-plus innings, striking out two and allowing six hits and two earned runs.

Griff Beckham earned the loss for the Bulldogs, going an inning-and-a-third, giving up five runs and six hits and walking two.

McGraw had three hits for the Chants, scoring two runs. Costanzo, Oxendine and Foisy had two hits apiece for Coastal. Covington went 3-for-5 to lead the Bulldogs.

The Citadel will host the seventh ranked South Carolina Gamecocks tomorrow night at 7 pm in Riley Park. The first 1,000 kids to the park will receive a free t-shirt compliments of Trademark Properties.