BOX SCORE RADFORD, Va. – Tucker Frawley went 3-for-5 with two RBIs, No. 25 Coastal Carolina scored three runs in the fourth to take control, and the Chanticleers beat Radford 5-3 on Sunday to win the Big South series.
Frawley was one of four Coastal Carolina (18-8, 2-1 Big South) players with multiple hits – his RBI single in the fourth made it a one-run game, then his run-scoring hit with two outs in the fifth extended the Coastal lead to 5-3. Brian Pruett went 2-for-2, drove in two runs and walked twice.
Matt Hillsinger went 2-for-4 for Radford (15-13, 4-2) – the Highlanders had a 3-1 lead through three innings, but couldn't score the rest of the way.
Radford struck first in the second when
Cory Turner hit a two-out double to right, scoring
Matt Mack and making it a 1-0 lead for the Highlanders.
After Coastal scored on Rich Witten's two-out RBI double in the third, the Highlanders put two more on the board in the bottom half. An infield single by Hillsinger with two on and one out loaded the bases for Radford. On the next play Mack hit a ground ball to third, but Chris Suseck's throw home was wide and two runs scored to give Radford a 3-1 lead.
Coastal made it 3-2 in the fourth on Frawley's RBI hit, and Pruett hit a two-out single to right to score two more, giving the Chanticleers their first lead of the game at 4-3.
Ryan Connolly earned the win (1-1) out of the bullpen for Coastal – he worked a scoreless 2 2/3 innings in the middle of the game. Aaron Burke, the nation's ERA leader entering the week, earned his fourth save with 2 1/3 scoreless innings to end the game.
Radford was without its starter early –
Mark Peterson was hit on the left leg by a line drive off the bat of Daniel Bowman in the top of the first. The Highlanders were forced to use four relievers, highlighted by
Abram Williams' scoreless 3 1/3 innings.
Keith Fritz took the loss (2-3) for Radford – he allowed the Coastal runs in the fourth.
Radford will resume Big South action on Friday with a 6 p.m. series opener at High Point.
