Top-Seeded Coastal Carolina Defeats Sixth-Seeded Radford

CONWAY, S.C. -- Coastal Carolina's Mike Costanzo, named 2005 Big South baseball MVP earlier in the day, belted a two-run home run in the sixth inning to break a 1-1 tie, and the No. 1 seed Chanticleers scored nine runs in the final four innings to defeat No. 6 seed Radford, 9-1, in the first game of the 2005 Bojangles' Big South Baseball Championship at Watson Stadium/Vrooman Field on the campus of Coastal Carolina University. (Box Score)

Coastal Carolina (45-12) will face the loser of the No. 3 Birmingham-Southern-No. 4 Liberty game Thursday afternoon at 3:00pm ET, while Radford (14-39) will meet the loser of the No. 2 Winthrop-No. 5 VMI contest at 11:00am ET in the double-elimination tournament.

Radford (14-39) opened the scoring in the third inning when pitcher Mark Fleisher hit a solo homer off CCU starter Mike Valter to give the Highlanders a 1-0 lead. On the mound, Fleisher held the Chants in check through four innings of no-hit ball before allowing his first hit and run in the bottom of the fifth. In the sixth inning, Coastal’s Dom Duggan singled and was brought home on Costanzo’s 14th home run of the year. CCU added three runs in both the seventh and eighth innings to pull away and win its 18th of its last 21 tournament appearances.

Valter, making his first start of the season, tossed eight innings, walked none and struck out four in improving to 4-0 on the year. He allowed 10 hits, but escaped jams in the first and seventh and the Highlanders left 10 runners on base. Donnie Presley pitched a scoreless ninth for the Chants. Fleisher (4-9) lasted six innings, allowing four runs on four hits with three walks and zero strikeouts.

At the plate, Fleisher and Kellen Wohlford had two hits for Radford, while shortstop David Landman went 3-4. For Coastal, Costanzo knocked in three runs, Duggan was 2-5 and Tommy Baldridge went 2-3 with a double. With the loss, Radford drops its 15th straight tournament contest, having last won in 1993 over Liberty.

Quotes

Coastal Carolina Head Coach Gary Gilmore

“(Radford pitcher Mark) Fleisher did a great job against us. They made some double plays early and had some great defensive plays. Mike Valter did a tremendous job. He gave us a chance to win. And Mike Costanzo stepped up again like he has all season.”

Radford Head Coach Lew Kent

“Valter scattered his hits, he pitched a good game. Fleisher pitched well, we were competitive for the first five innings. We left that guy on third in the first innings with no outs, and that might have made a difference later in the game.”