In their second-ranked series match-up in conference play, Arkansas State baseball fell to No. 7 Coastal Carolina Chanticleers 2-1, narrowly avoiding the sweep. 

Game One: A collapse of epic proportions

In Friday’s series opener, the Red Wolves grabbed a 4-0 advantage by the bottom of the fourth inning. The first inning saw an immediate spark on offense, where shortstop Patrick Engskov and first baseman Cason Campbell hit an RBI double each, followed by a two RBI homer from catcher Kaden Amundson in the fourth.

In his second start this season, pitcher Andrew Allen kept the Chanticleers at bay through 4.2 IP, not allowing a single hit with two strikeouts while giving up only one earned run. However, his four walks tied a season high for the Red Wolves and ultimately led to his benching in the fifth inning after giving up two in the period alone. 

That was where the troubles began for A-State. 

Immediately following the substitution, CCU scored their first run of the game off a failed stolen base. The Red Wolves found themselves in a rut at-bat until the eighth inning, while the Chanticleers cut the lead to a single run with a solo dinger and sacrifice bunt RBI in the seventh. 

After plateauing for three straight innings, A-State tried to put the game on ice with two home runs totaling three RBI from second baseman Lane Walton and designated hitter Derek Martinez. 

While the Chanticleers cooled down with a single hit in the eighth, it would not take long before they grabbed their first lead of the game in a major way.

Only allowing three runs through the game up until the ninth, the Red Wolves’ pitching completely fell apart in the final period, allowing a season high seven runs in the inning alone. The rotation of relief pitchers could not find leverage in the sea of CCU batters, giving up a combined seven earned runs on six hits. 

Batting could not find any success in the bottom of the ninth either, ending the game on a three-and-out dud. Despite leading eight out of the nine innings, A-State completely collapsed on all cylinders to finish out Friday, falling 10-7 to the Chanticleers.

CCU second baseman Blake Barthol led the game with three RBI, including a home run, while Walton charged the Red Wolves with two off his dinger in the eighth. 

Game Two: Cooling down

Continuing the series after a high-scoring opener, game two was a slow-paced stalemate between the two sides. Throughout the game, neither side scored more than once in an inning, keeping the match close from beginning to end. 

The first game of the weekend ended up being the only match in the series where both team hit home runs. All runs minus one from a sacrifice fly out came from singles and doubles on Saturday. 

The top two RBI season leaders, Walton and right fielder Evan Griffis, along with Martinez, each scored one to make up the three recorded in this game. Meanwhile, Barthol carried the offense for the Chanticleers with three of his own. 

The pitching from A-State improved from their collapse on Friday, with starting pitcher Jack Nelson throwing eight strikeouts and only giving up three runs in 5.0 IP. CCU kept up the pace at the mound, with pitcher Norman Ross throwing six strikeouts while allowing three runs in the same time frame. 

Tied at 3-3 in the final inning, the Chanticleers sealed their victory with an RBI single from third baseman Mitchell Walker. Once again, A-State went down in the bottom of the ninth with a three-and-out, unable to respond to a smaller deficit than Friday in the final moments of the 4-3 loss. 

Game Three: A-State slips past

With the series already clinched for CCU, A-State took their last shot at a win against one of the top teams in the country in game three and came out on top. 

A scoreless beginning ended after two innings on Sunday, where the game was tied in the third at 1-1. The meat of the game’s action came during the fifth inning, where both teams scored their last runs of the match and series. 

After loading the bases, the Chanticleers sent two of their runners home off an RBI double from center fielder Dean Mihos, but their success was short-lived as two outs immediately followed the scores. 

At the bottom of the inning, A-State set up a similar bases-loaded situation, but kept the momentum going for much longer, scoring on five of the next six at-bats once runners filled the field. Once a strikeout ended the hot streak for the Red Wolves, the final score of the match was set as both teams came up empty for the rest of the game.

This time around, A-State’s relief pitching came in clutch to help close out the game with pitcher Brett Foss redeeming himself from Friday’s ending. He helped shut out the Chanticleers’ offense with three strikeouts and only one allowed hit in 2.1 IP. 

After the tough loss against the highest-ranked Sun Belt Conference team, the Red Wolves look towards getting a win against the University of Louisiana-Monroe Warhawks in their next conference series match-up this weekend.

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