High Point was swept in a three-game series for the first time this season after Coastal Carolina scored five runs in the 8th inning to break open a nailbiter and take a 9-3 decision Sunday.
The Chanticleers extended their season-best win streak to six, and improved to 25-13 overall on the season and 7-2 in the Big South, while the Panthers fell to 17-18 and 4-5 in the conference.
The first three batters all singled to load the bases for Coastal in the first inning, and the Chants plated two as Randy McGarvey and Brandon Powell both came through with run-scoring hits before Panther starter David White got out of the jam. Solo home runs by High Point's Andy Harney and Justin Keegan in the second and third innings respectively cut the lead to 3-2, and an RBI single by Keegan in the fifth tied the game at three.
Coastal got the run back in the sixth as Greg Orsimarsi came home from third on a throwing error when Panther catcher Jayson Hoffman tried to throw out Chad Felty as he stole second base, making it 4-3. Powell touched off the rally with his sixth home run of the season to start the eighth, and Adam Keim finished it with a two-run bomb to left field that put the game away. For Keim, it was his Big South-leading 10th round-tripper of the year, and the 21st of his career to move into the top-20 all-time in CCU history, passing teammates Felty and Justin Owens.
Coastal starter Brian Waack went 4.2 innings, allowing three runs on four hits, before giving way to Byron Binda in the fifth inning. Binda (5-1) pitched 2.1 perfect innings for the win, striking out four, while Justin Sturge and Steve Soja went an inning each, allowing just one walk between them. White (2-6) took the loss with the unearned run, allowing four runs on 10 hits and four walks.
High Point begins a week of games against Piedmont Triad rivals with a trip to play No. 5-ranked Wake Forest at Winston-Salem's Hooks Stadium on Tuesday. First pitch is set for 3:00 pm. The Panthers will face UNC Greensboro before opening a three-game set at Elon next weekend.
