Box Score
CONWAY, S.C. - Kieton Rivers hit two-run home runs and drove in four RBIs on the day as Coastal Carolina claimed its second consecutive Sun Belt Conference Baseball Championship by beating Georgia Southern, 9-7, on Sunday.
Rivers was also named the tournament's Most Outstanding Player as he finished off Coastal's six games in the tournament with ten hits in 30 at-bats, four home runs and six total extra base hits. He drove in 12 RBIs over the six games.
The Chanticleers are the first tournament host since 2000 (South Alabama) to claim the tournament title and the first five seed to win the title since 2012 (ULM).
Kyle Skeels had three hits in four at-bats, driving in one. His one RBI double was the eventual game-winner for the Chants. Scott McKeon was 2-for-5 and had a home run of his own in the top of the seventh, providing some insurance for CCU. Nick Lucky also had two hits for the Chanticleers.
Alaska Abney (3-4) earned the win for Coastal (35-24-1) after pitching one and a third innings. Scott Kobos earned his first save of the season. Hayden Harris (3-1) suffered the loss for the Eagles.
After losing three of their final five regular-season games, and the Sun Belt Championship opener, the Chanticleers found their momentum as they went on to set numerous Sun Belt records, including both the runs and hits totals. CCU finished with 80 runs on 90 hits, 18 of them were home runs.
Sunday looked bleak for the host team as they were down early, 6-0, after two innings before Coastal would get three back in the top of the fourth. The Eagles added their seventh and final run in the bottom half of the frame. CCU added a run in the fifth, four in the sixth and a final run in the seventh.
Through six games this week the Chanticleers scored 50 runs from the sixth through ninth innings.
2019 Sun Belt All-Tournament Team
Zach Biermann, Coastal Carolina
Parker Chavers, Coastal Carolina
Kyle Skeels, Coastal Carolina
Cory Wood, Coastal Carolina
Jake Wright, Coastal Carolina
Nick Jones, Georgia Southern
Tyler Owens, Georgia Southern
Jason Swan, Georgia Southern
Chad Bell, ULM
Trey Jeans, ULM
Connor Aube, UTA
Drew Frederic, Troy
Lance Johnson, Troy
Most Outstanding Player
Kieton Rivers, Coastal Carolina
Sun Belt Championship Notes
- Coastal Carolina is now 10-1 in the Sun Belt tournament, winning the last two titles.
- CCU has now won 16 overall conference titles (two with the Sun Belt) and is making its 17th appearance to the NCAA Regionals (second as a member of the Sun Belt).
- Georgia Southern is now 0-3 all-time in Sun Belt Championship games, losing in 2016, 2017 and 2019.
- Kieton Rivers' home run in the fifth inning broke the Sun Belt Conference tournament record of 15 set in 2010. CCU finished the tournament with 18 total home runs.
- 44 total home runs were hit at Spring Brooks Stadium in Conway, S.C. – the highest total since 2010 (Murfreesboro, Tenn.)