CCU baseball makes a comeback in the Brittain Resorts Invitational

The Coastal Carolina Baseball team competed in the Brittain Resorts Invitational which began on Friday, Feb. 21, 2020.

Coastal’s first game was against Saint Joseph’s University on Friday evening. This was the first time the two schools have competed against each other.

Saint Joseph’s was the first to score and had a four point lead on Coastal in the top of fourth. In the bottom of the fifth inning, Coastal’s BT Riopelle hit a homerun over right field, bringing in one run. Makenzie Pate also scored in the bottom of the fifth.

The final score of the game was 2-4, Saint Joseph's.

CCU’s second game was against Illinois University. Coastal was only able to score in the bottom of the fourth inning. Fox Leum ran the bases well on Saturday, scoring after a throwing error to third. The final score of the game was 5-2.

CCU’s team was able to make a comeback in the last two games of the tournament on Sunday, Feb. 23, starting with Kennesaw State.

Kennesaw State came into the game ready to play and scored three runs in the first inning. Coastal was also able to score in the first inning, bringing in two runs. Coastal’s Eric Brown would score a run in the bottom of the third, bringing the game to 3-3.

Coastal had an exciting bottom of the fifth inning with Alex Gattinelli scoring off a base hit and Riopelle sending in two runs with triple. The score at the bottom of the fifth was 6-3.

CCU came into the bottom of the seventh inning with bats swinging. Makenzie Pate, Scott Mckeon, Nick Lucky, Zack Beach, and Eric Brown all scored. With two innings left, Coastal led Kennesaw State, 11-3.

Kennesaw State brought in two more runs in the top of the eighth. Coastal’s Morgan Hyde and Dale Thomas would go on to score in the bottom of the eighth. The final score of the game was 13-5, Coastal.

Coastal pitcher, Nick Parker, had a great game. Parker allowed seven hits, three runs, and four strikeouts.

Coastal’s final game of the tournament was against West Virginia University. Both WVU and CCU scored a run in the first inning, tying up the game early. Coastal’s Cooper Weiss was able to score in the bottom of the second inning off a hit by Riopelle.

Neither team was able to score again until CCU increased the heat in the bottom of the seventh inning with four runs. Nick Lucky was having a blast running the bases and was able to make it to third and batted in two runners. Lucky would go onto to score before the end of the inning. Going into the eighth inning, Coastal led 6-1.

WVU earned their final run of the game in the top of the eighth. Coastal came into the bottom of the eighth ready to run the bases. Brown was the first to score in the inning for Coastal and was followed by Weiss and Beach — both of whom scored off of a double by BT Riopelle. A wild pitch would send Pate to third and Riopelle would score. A sacrifice fly by Lucky would send Pate home, bringing the total number of runs for CCU to eleven. Mckeon, Hyde, and Kyle Westfall would also score in the bottom of the eighth.

The final score of the game was 14-2, Coastal.

The Coastal Baseball team will play today in Charleston, SC. The men’s next home game will be Friday, Feb. 28, against Maryland.