Coastal Carolina rallied then won it with a grand slam in the 10th inning for a 10–6 victory of East Carolina on Friday.
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Photo credit: (ECU Sports Information)
CONWAY, S.C. – East Carolina opened its weekend series against No. 16 Coastal Carolina with a tough finish Friday night, as the Chanticleers secured a walk-off 10-6 victory in the 10th inning on a grand slam in Conway.
Coastal Carolina capitalized early, however, placing two of its three first-inning hits into shallow right field to plate a pair of runs and take an early 2-0 lead.
Colby Wallace sparked the Pirates’ offense in the third inning with ECU’s first hit of the night, lining a ball up the middle. Two groundouts moved Wallace into scoring position, but the Pirates were unable to bring him home, leaving him stranded at third.
The Chanticleers added to their lead in the bottom of the inning, pushing two more runs across to extend the advantage to 4-0.
Matt Lashley provided another spark for ECU later in the game, driving a ball into the left-center gap for a double to put himself in scoring position, though the Pirates were unable to capitalize.
After five scoreless innings offensively, ECU broke through in the seventh. Braden Burressreached base and advanced into scoring position on a passed ball before Lenahan delivered with a deep single into the 5-6 hole. The play forced an error from the Coastal Carolina shortstop, allowing Burress to cross the plate and cut the deficit.
ECU’s offense came alive in the eighth inning. Davin Whitaker opened the rally with a hard-hit single through the right side before Michael Kalanich stepped in to pinch hit for Walker Barron. On a 1-1 count, Kalanich launched a no-doubt two-run home run, his first of the season and third of his career, to pull the Pirates within one at 4-3.
The momentum continued to build as Burress and Herring both drew walks to put runners on base. Austin Irby followed with a line drive into right-center field, bringing Burress home from second to tie the game with one out.
Jeff Sabater then gave ECU its first lead of the night with a clutch single that scored Herring. Moments later, Wallace drew a bases-loaded walk to push another run across, capping a five-run inning and giving the Pirates a 6-4 advantage.
Coastal Carolina responded in the bottom half of the eighth, answering with a single down the right-field line that plated two runs to even the score at 6-6. With runners on second and third and two outs, Sean Jenkins worked out of the jam to prevent further damage.
Neither team could break through in the ninth. ECU went quietly in the top half, but Jenkins delivered a key strikeout in the bottom of the inning to force extra innings.
In the bottom of the 10th, Coastal Carolina sealed the game when the Chanticleers connected on a walk-off grand slam to secure the series-opening win.
Game two of the series is set for Saturday, March 7, at 2:00 p.m.