Box Score (PDF)

MOBILE, Ala. – Dylan Hardy delivered a walk-off single in the bottom of the ninth inning to lift the University of South Alabama baseball team to a 4-3 win over No. 26 Coastal Carolina Saturday at Stanky Field.

With the score tied 3-3 after eight-and-a-half innings, Brendan Donovan drew a leadoff walk in the bottom of the ninth and moved to second with one out when Wells Davis reached on a hit by pitch. A wild pitch moved both runners into scoring position with two outs before Eddie Paparella drew a walk to load the bases for Hardy, who lined a 2-2 pitch from CCU right-hander Cole Schaefer into left field to score Donovan with the game-winning run.

"I wasn't trying to do too much," Hardy said. "Coach (Calvi) always says to hit the right pitches when they come to you, and lay off the pitcher's pitches that you get yourself out on. I just went up there today and tried to hit my pitches and get them (CCU pitchers) to come across the plate to me."

South Alabama threatened in the bottom of the second inning, but failed to push across a run. Jared Barnes drew a one-out walk, advanced to second on a wild pitch from CCU right-hander Jason Bilous and moved to third on a two-out infield single by Hardy. Will Luft drew a two-out walk to load the bases for Hunter Stokes, but Bilous recorded an inning-ending strikeout to escape the jam without allowing a run.

Coastal Carolina (22-13-1, 10-4-1 SBC) broke a scoreless tie in the top of the fourth inning on a two-out RBI single through the right side of the infield by Kieton Rivers for a 1-0 lead.

The Chanticleers doubled their lead to 2-0 in the top of the seventh on a one-out solo home run to left field by Seth Lancaster. 

CCU then extended its lead to 3-0 in the top of the eighth on a two-out RBI single back up the middle by Wood Myers.

But South Alabama answered with three runs in the bottom of the eighth inning to tie the game. Travis Swaggerty drew a leadoff walk, and moved to second on a single back up the middle by Wells Davis. Barnes walked to load the bases with no outs for Eddie Paparella, who lifted an RBI sacrifice fly to right field to score Swaggerty with the Jaguars' first run. Hardy followed with an RBI single back up the middle to score Davis and cut the CCU lead to 3-2. Hunter Stokes delivered a two-out RBI single to center field later in the inning to score Barnes and tie the game 3-3.

USA right-hander Will Eiland (1-0) tossed one scoreless relief inning and allowed two hits with one strikeout to earn his first career win as a Jaguar. CCU left-hander Anthony Veneziano (2-2) allowed one run without allowing a hit, and issued one walk with one strikeout in two-thirds of an inning in the loss. Jaguar right-hander Tyler Carr allowed two runs on seven hits with four strikeouts and did not issue a walk without factoring in the decision. 

Hardy recorded a career-high four hits, finishing 4-for-5 with two RBI to lead the Jaguars at the plate. Stokes added a hit and one RBI and Paparella drove in one run. Myers went 3-for-4 with one RBI to lead the Chanticleers offensively.

"Our guys just kept working to get on base," USA head coach Mark Calvi said. "They have 27 outs and they know that; we preach that from day one. And we needed every single one of them to get it done. Our guys were working all game long. Their (CCU) starter (Bilous) was really good; he was up to 95 (mph) and was effectively wild. I give that kid a lot of credit. He is a tough pitcher and he made pitches when he had to. But how about our guy (Carr)? We had eight walks yesterday. We challenged them last night and we didn't have any walks today. That was the storyline, Tyler Carr, Andrew Cash and Will Eiland going out there and not walking anybody and forcing them to earn what they got to give us a chance to win it at the end."

South Alabama will return to action Tue., April 18, when it hosts Mississippi State at 6:30 p.m. at Stanky Field.

For more information about South Alabama athletics, check back with USAJaguars.com, and follow the Jaguars at Twitter.com/USAJaguarSports. Season tickets for all Jaguar athletic events can be purchased by calling (251) 461-1USA (1872).

Join the Dugout Club, the baseball specific support club of the Jaguar Athletic Fund. Members enjoy all games from inside the Stadium Club with climate control, private restrooms, private concessions and access to listen to the radio broadcast. All donations to the Dugout Club go directly to support the South Alabama baseball program. For more information on how you can join visit: jaguarathleticfund.com/dugoutclub