Wake Forest University
Coastal Carolina
Wake Forest Downed by Coastal Carolina
4/29/2009 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
April 29, 2009
Box Score | Box Score in PDF Format 
CONWAY, S.C. - Coastal Carolina broke a 2-2 tie with six runs in the bottom of the third inning and Adam Rice went 4-for-5 with six RBIs to lead the Chanticleers to an 18-5 win on Wednesday night at Watson Stadium.
With the loss, Wake Forest drops to 21-24 on the season, while Coastal Carolina improves to 33-13.
Wake Forest enjoyed a 2-1 lead through an inning and a half, but the Coastal offense exploded for six runs in the third, three runs in the fourth and six runs in the sixth inning to pull away for the victory.
Dustin Hood, Tyler Smith and Ian Tomkins each had two hits to lead Wake Forest offensively. Bentley Heyman and Tomkins also added two RBIs each.
Rico Noel and Rice each had four hits for the Chanticleers, while Rice drove in a game-high six runs and scored twice. Noel crossed the plate four times.
Austin Fleet earned the win for Coastal to improve to 6-2 on the season. Fleet gave up five runs on eight hits in six innings pitched. Kent Altman picked up his first save of the season by pitching the final three innings. Garrett Bullock suffered the loss for the Deacs to fall to 1-3 on the season. Bullock allowed seven runs, three of them earned, on seven hits in 2 2/3 innings.
Coastal Carolina struck first with a run in the bottom of the first inning. Noel led off the inning with a single through the left side and moved to second when Rice reached on a bunt single. Noel advanced to third on his 28th stolen base of the season. Bullock got the first out of the inning by picking off Rice at first base. David Anderson drew a four-pitch walk to put runners at the corners with one out. Tyler Bortnick pushed a perfect bunt to the right side to score Noel on the safety squeeze for the first run of the game. Bullock struck out Daniel Bowman to get out of the inning.
The Deacs answered back with two runs in the top of the second. Hood hit a one-out single through the left side and moved to third when Smith singled to right. After Bentley Heyman fouled out to the catcher for the second out of the inning, Tomkins hit a 1-1 pitch to the left-center field gap to clear the bases and give Wake Forest a 2-1 lead.
Coastal tied the game with a run in the bottom of the second. Chance Gilmore singled to right-center field with one out and moved to second on a walk to Evan Noell. Gilmore advanced to third on a stolen base. Steve Davis struck out swinging for the second out of the inning. Noel pushed a bunt to the right side that scored Gilmore and moved Noell to second. A wild pitch allowed each runner to move up a base. Rice drew a walk to load the bases. Bullock struck out Anderson swinging to get out of the bases loaded jam and hold the Chanticleers to a run.
The Chanticleers took the lead with six runs in the bottom of the third. Bowman got the rally started with a single and moved to third on a single by Motter. Gilmore brought home Bowman on a bunt to the right side. Tyler Smith charged and threw home to Tomkins, but Bowman was able to beat the tag. Coastal Carolina loaded the bases when Noell reached on a fielding error by Heyman. Davis hit a grounder to the right side and Smith threw home t retire Motter for the second out of the inning. Noel drove in his second run of the game with bases loaded walk. Rice looped a single to left field to bring home Noell and Davis. Anderson closed the scoring with a two-run single to center to make the score 8-2.
Coastal added three more runs in the bottom of the fourth. Noell scored Motter on a sacrifice fly to center. A hit-and-run double to the right-center field gap plated Gilmore and Noel to give the Chanticleers an 11-2 lead.
After the Chants scored six times in the bottom of the sixth, Wake Forest answered with three runs on six hits in the top of the seventh. Hood and Smith led off the inning with consecutive singles. Heyman doubled down the left-field line to drive in two runs. Pinch hitter Carlos Lopez ripped a single through the left side to plate Heyman for Wake's fifth run of the game.
Coastal Carolina closed the scoring with a run in the bottom of the eighth inning.
Wake Forest is back in action on Friday, May 8, at 7 p.m. when it travels to Maryland for the first game of a three-game Atlantic Coast Conference series.
