@GWUBaseball | @BigSouthBase
LEXINGTON, S.C. – No. 4 seed Gardner-Webb went toe-to-toe with top-seed and 17th-ranked Coastal Carolina Wednesday night, but the Chanticleers scored a pair of runs late and held on for a 4-3 win in the second round of the 2016 Big South Conference Tournament.
Gardner-Webb (37-20) had the go-ahead run in scoring position with two outs in the ninth, but fell just short against the Chanticleers (42-15).
GWU will take on No. 8 seed Radford (18-38) in the second of Thursday's two elimination games, with first pitch at approximately 6:00 pm. The Highlanders took two of three from the Runnin' Bulldogs in April.
Gardner-Webb took the early lead on a competitive Wednesday night, as Danny Sullivan led off the second inning in style, blistering the first pitch he saw on a line over the left field fence for a solo home run and a 1-0 lead.
Conference Pitcher of the Year Andrew Beckwith quickly gathered himself, however, sitting down the next two batters on slow rollers and getting an infield pop up to end the frame.
The Chanticleers got on the board in the fourth, getting a one-out single on a line to right from Big South Player of the Year Connor Owings to get things started. Zach Remillard delivered the big blow, hammering a 2-1 pitch deep to the opposite field for a two-run bomb that gave Coastal Carolina the lead.
Gardner-Webb starter Jeremy Walker recovered as well, and a pair of nice defensive plays by Collin Thacker at second base got GWU back to the dugout down just one run.
Gardner-Webb responded in the top of the fifth to tie the score, as Matt Simmons sliced a solo home run just inside the left field foul pole – his second of the season – to tie the game, 2-2, with one out. Mason Fox nearly legged out a chopper to second base, but was out by just a hair – and Coastal Carolina ended the threat with a fly ball to keep the game tied.
GWU had a golden opportunity in the sixth, as Tyler Best led off with a single and Collin Thacker drew a one-out walk with a base open. Beckwith got the ground ball he needed, however, rolling a 6-4-3 double play to thwart a potential rally.
The Chanticleers got a one-out single from Michael Paez to get going in the sixth, setting the table for the meat of the order. Walker appeared to have rolled a ground ball double play of his own, but Owings was ruled safe at first on a critical call that kept the inning alive. Remillard followed with a bunt single that hugged the third base line – and G.K. Young ripped an RBI single into right that gave Coastal Carolina a 3-2 lead.
After an intentional walk, Walker got a line drive to short to get his team back into the dugout. Gardner-Webb got a pair on board in the top of the seventh on a Simmons' single and a walk to Fox, but could not cut into the lead.
A leadoff double by Seth Lancaster after the seventh inning stretch started another rally for Coastal Carolina and he stood 90 feet away from home after a sacrifice bunt. That brought the top of the order back around and Anthony Marks' high chopper fielder's choice was enough to push the lead to 4-2 – as the throw home was not in time.
Paez followed with a single through the left side to put men on first and second, but Walker recovered to strike out Owings and Remillard to keep the deficit at two runs.
Best and Kunz got the tying run on board quickly in the top of the eighth, with Best poking a single through the left side and Kunz collecting a hit up the middle. Disaster struck, however, as a looping pop up from Thacker to second was dropped and both Best and Kunz were thrown out trying to advance on an unlucky – and awkward – 4-5-6 double play. Sullivan kept the inning alive with a single through the right side, but the Coastal Carolina
That forced a call to the bullpen and setup man Bobby Holmes got a pop up to first base to keep the two-run lead.
Walker worked through the Chanticleers in order to send the game to the ninth with the 4-2 score in place, but Paul Trick's hard liner was snagged by Paez on a nice play to start the inning. Holmes hit Simmons with an inside pitch to bring the tying run to the plate. Holmes got a high infield fly for the second out – but Chandler Redmond connected for a ringing double into the gap in left center to put get the tying run into scoring position.
Coastal Carolina went to the pen again, calling on stopper Mike Morrison. Best stepped in and rapped a first pitch off the glove of the Chants' first baseman, cutting the lead to one and moving pinch runner Chris Clary to third.
Best stole second to get the go ahead run into scoring position, but Morrison ended the game – throwing a full-count curve for a strikeout.
Beckwith (10-1) picked up the win, tossing 7.2 innings, scattering eight hits and fanning one (two walks). Morrison worked 0.1 innings for his seventh save of the season.
Paez (2-for-4), Remillard (2-for-4, HR, 2 RBI) and Lancaster (2-for-3, 2 2B) paced Coastal Carolina's eight-hit night, with Owings (1-for-4, 2 runs) and Young (1-for-4, RBI) also productive in the middle of the order.
Walker (9-5) pitched well despite the loss, going the distance for the third time in 2016. He scattered eight hits, fanned seven and walked one in 8.0 innings. His fastball was still cooking in the low 90s into the eighth inning on several radar guns on hand.
Best (3-for-5, RBI), Sullivan (2-for-4, HR, RBI) and Simmons (2-for-3, HR, RBI) led Gardner-Webb's 10-hit offensive night, with Thacker (1-for-3), Redmond (1-for-2, 2B) and Kunz (1-for-3) also collecting base knocks.
Thursday's GWU-Radford game will air live on The Big South Network (bigsouthsports.com). Southpaw Ryan Boelter (4-0, 3.07 ERA) will take the hill for the Runnin' Bulldogs.
