No. 15 Coastal Carolina defeated Clemson 11-9 on Tuesday night at Doug Kingsmore Stadium.
The Chanticleers trailed 9-3 in the top of the seventh, but scored seven unanswered runs for the comeback victory against Clemson.
It was announced prior to Coastal’s Tuesday clash with in-state rival Clemson that transfer Trace Mazon would be out for an extended time with a hand injury, something that Chanticleer fans were devastated to hear. With Mazon’s big bat absent from the lineup, the latest in a slew of injuries to Coastal’s stars, the Tigers would be a true test for the rest of the Coastal lineup.
Sophomore Rex Watson got Coastal on the board as he struck first in the top half of the first inning with a three-run home run for his eighth big fly of the season. The California native, who transferred from San Diego, has been a huge addition to the lineup, leading the team in home runs. Watson also turned heads last weekend against James Madison, hitting three home runs over the series.
Sophomore reliever Jaxon Appelman took over for starter Jackson Smallets in the second inning, and the Tigers quickly got on the board. Jack Crighton delivered a single to left-center, driving in Tyler Lichtenberg. Entering the game hitting .417 with runners in scoring position, Crighton came through once again.
With runners on first and third, Clemson’s Tryston McCladdie scored, and Jacob Jarell advanced to second on a failed pickoff attempt by Appelman, cutting the deficit to 3-2. Freshman left-hander Colby Richardson then relieved Appelman and escaped the jam, issuing one walk and striking out two.
In the bottom of the fourth, the Tigers’ offense came alive, scoring five runs. Nate Savoi lined a hard shot to left-center, driving in Jackson Moore and moving Crighton to third. McCladdie followed with a groundout to short, bringing Crighton home. Jarell added a two-run homer to left field for the highlight of the inning and his 11th of the season, and Lichtenberg capped the rally with a single down the first-base line, scoring Jay Dillard and giving the Tigers a 7-3 lead.
Clemson tacked on two more runs in the bottom half of the sixth. Tigers right fielder Ty Dalley blasted a solo home run to right for his 60th career long ball. Later in the inning, Jason Fultz Jr. tripled down the right-field line after Coastal’s Watson overran the fly ball, allowing Lichtenberg, who had reached on a hit-by-pitch, to score from first. Clemson pushed its lead to 9-3, capitalizing on Coastal’s scoreless stretch since the first inning.
The Chanticleers answered in the top of the seventh, turning it into a one-run game. With the bases loaded, outfielder Jordan Taylor pinch-hit for Blagen Pado and chopped a dribbler down the third-base line that Tigers third baseman Fultz Jr. couldn’t field, allowing Mihos to score from third. Brayden Horton followed with a bases-loaded walk to bring in Blake Barthol.
Coastal kept the pressure on in the next at-bat, as catcher Brice Estep popped a ball up near first base, but Crighton was unable to make the play after colliding with the first-base umpire, allowing Taylor to score. Moments later, with Cruz Harlan at the plate as a pinch hitter, Estep was caught attempting to steal second on a wild pitch, but Horton raced home from third on the throw, and the run counted to cut the deficit to 9-8.
Chaticleers reliever Darin Horn did his job and retired the side for a scoreless seventh inning from the Tigers’ offense.
That momentum carried into the eighth, where the Chanticleers plated two runs to take a 10-9 lead. Mihos sparked the rally with a single to right, moving Harlan—who had drawn a leadoff walk—to third. “Schnall Ball” then took over, as Walker Mitchell laid down a sacrifice bunt to bring Harlan home and tie the game at nine while advancing Mihos to third. Watson followed by reaching on a fielding error by Clemson second baseman Dillard, allowing Mihos to score the go-ahead run and give Coastal a 10-9 advantage.
With one out and the bases loaded in the top of the ninth, Barthol delivered an insurance run with a sacrifice fly to left, scoring Horton—who had reached on an error to lead off the inning—and extending the lead to 11-9.
Horn came up clutch in the end for the Chants, tossing 3.0 innings, allowing just one hit and no runs while striking out six in the win.
Watson and Mihos led the Coastal offense, each with a pair of hits.
Crighton was a tough out all night, reaching base in four of his five at-bats and notched three hits.
The Tigers used nine pitchers in the loss, with five relievers combining to allow seven runs. Defensively, they committed three errors and hit six Coastal batters, contributing to the defeat.
Clemson (18-8, 1-5 ACC) aims to bounce back this weekend at home against Miami (19-6, 2-4 ACC) in a three-game series beginning Thursday, March 26.
Coastal Carolina (17-7, 6-0 SBC) will look to build momentum on its comeback win as it travels to face Marshall in a three-game series with the first pitch scheduled for 6 p.m. Friday.
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