Coastal Carolina Cruises to 13-0 Win at College of Charleston
MT. PLEASANT – Kevin Woodall Jr., hit two home runs and Kyle Skeels tied a career high with four RBI, but Coastal Carolina freshman pitcher Anthony Simonelli was the story as the Chanticleers cruised to a 13-0 victory over rival College of Charleston Wednesday night at Patriots Point.
With the win, Coastal improves to 4-1 on the season and take a 23-22 lead in the all-time series with the Cougars (3-1). The series has been dominated by home team historically as CCU is now just 7-14 when playing at the College. Coastal will return to Patriots Point on Mar. 27.
Simonelli (1-0) was impressive in his collegiate debut, which was also his first game pitched since 2016 as he missed his senior season of high school due to Tommy John surgery. He did not allow a hit until one out in the fifth and only used 41 pitches to that point. He would also allow a double in the fifth, but escaped unscathed thanks to a fly out to end the frame. For the game, the freshman only needed 67 pitches over his seven scoreless innings as he allowed three hits with no walks and two strikeouts.
Woodall was 2-for-5 with three runs scored and two RBI and Skeels was 3-for-4 with four RBI and a run scored. Freshman Parker Chavers was 4-for-5.
Coastal took a quick 1-0 lead in the first inning. Kieton Rivers reached on an infield hit to shortstop. He then stole second and took third on a wild pitch. Keaton Weisz, like Rivers, hit an infield single to shortstop to drive in the first run of the game. After a walk to Seth Lancaster, Skeels lined a two-run double to right-center field to push the CCU lead to 3-0.
The Chanticleers kept the pressure on in the second. Chavers doubled and scored when Kieton Rivers reached on an error to give CCU a 4-0 advantage.
In the third, Woodall started the frame with a towering home run over the left field fence. It was his second home run of the season and put the Chants up 5-0. With two outs, Zach Biermann singled, Cameron Pearcey reached on an error and Chavers had an infield single to load the bases. Rivers then reached on an error to bring home Biermann for the 6-0 cushion.
Coastal exploded for six runs in the fourth to take a 12-0 lead. Skeels tied his career high by delivering a one-out, two-run single in the fourth. Cameron Pearcey and Chavers followed with RBI singles, scoring Skeels and Biermann. Rivers brought home Pearcey and Chavers with a two-run single to center.
Woodall started the fifth as he did the third with a solo home run over the left field fence to put the Chants up 13-0. It was Woodall’s second 2-home run game as he also accomplished the feat on Feb. 26 last season versus George Mason, a game he went 3-fof-5 with four RBI and three runs scores.
Dylan Gentry and Zack McCambley each worked perfect 1-2-3 innings in the eighth and ninth to close out the game.
Coastal returns home to host West Virginia, VCU and Illinois in the Brittain Resorts Invitational Friday-Monday at Springs Brooks Stadium.
Ragin’ Cajuns Baseball Comes Up Short At Southeastern Louisiana
HAMMOND, La. – The 20th-ranked Louisiana Ragin’ Cajuns baseball team came up short on Wednesday night against Southeastern Louisiana falling 5-2 in a non-conference game at Pat Kenelly Diamond at Alumni Field.
The Cajuns (1-3) were outhit 9-3 in the contest by the Lions (4-1) with all three hits going for extra bases.
Freshman reliever Austin Perrin was handed his first loss of the year after giving up two runs on two hits in two innings of work. SLU starter Carlisle Koestler earned his first victory of 2018 after limiting the Ragin’ Cajuns to two runs on three hits with a walk and 11 strikeouts in 8.1 innings.
LEADING THE CAJUNS
Starter Colten Schmidt held Southeastern Louisiana to two runs on seven hits in five innings while posting six strikeouts. Senior Logan Stoelke tossed a scoreless inning in relief with a strikeout.
At the plate, freshman Hayden Cantrelle went 1-for-3 with a home run, walk and scored both of Louisiana’s runs in the game. Both O’Neal Lochridge and Tremaine Spears registered a double for the Cajuns with Lochridge driving in his first run on the year.
HOW IT HAPPENED
Cantrelle gave Louisiana a 1-0 lead in the top of the first inning sending the first pitch he saw from Koeslter over the fence in left field for a solo home run. The lead was short lived though as Kyle Schimpf drove a two-out RBI double down the right field line to even the contest at 1-all.
The Cajuns and Lions traded runs in the fourth inning as Lochridge brought home Cantrelle on a two-out double down the left field line.
Daniel Wasinger put Southeastern Louisiana up for good in the bottom of the sixth with a two-run homer to left field off of Perrin to make the score 4-2. The Lions tacked on the final run of the game in the bottom of the eighth on a sacrifice fly to centerfield by Wasinger.
UP NEXT
Louisiana opens its 2018 home schedule on Friday at 6:30 p.m. against Wright State at M.L. "Tigue" Moore Field at Russo Park in the first of three games. Friday’s game will be broadcast live on Cox Sports Television.
Troy Falls in Tight Fight with No. 26 Auburn
AUBURN, Alabama – No. 26 Auburn scored in the bottom of the eighth inning to secure a 6-5 victory over Troy to hand the Trojans their first loss of the 2018 campaign Wednesday evening at Plainsman Park.
Troy (4-1) was locked in a back-and-forth battle with Auburn (5-0) before the Tigers were able to score late and seal the victory.
Auburn struck first with three unearned runs in the fourth inning, but the Trojans responded with four runs of their own in the fifth.
Brody Binder added to his already impressive RBI total with two runs driven in on a two-out, bases-loaded single. Drew Frederic doubled soon after Binder’s two-RBI single to drive him in and cap off the Trojans’ seventh inning of four or more runs in 2018.
The Trojans were led offensively by Brandon Lockridge, who finished 3-for-4 on the night – he was the lone multi-hit batter for Troy.
Corey Childress (0-1) was saddled with the loss, despite allowing only a run on three hits in three innings of relief work.
The Tigers came away the victory in their last at-bat for the second night in a row – walked off Georgia State Tuesday. Brenden Venter led the squad with a 3-for-4 day at the plate. Calvin Coker (1-0) earned the win on the mound after throwing 3.1 innings of one-hit, one-run work.