GREENVILLE, N.C. – Chris Rowan Jr.’s single scored Austin White from second base with one out in the ninth inning to lift Coastal Carolina to a 7-6 win over Virginia in the Greenville Regional. White singled up the middle off Matt Wyatt (0-2) to lead off the ninth and was sacrificed to second by Eric Brown. Following an intentional walk, Rowan grounded a 2-2 pitch into center field for the win.
The Chanticleers face No. 8 overall seed East Carolina, hoping to force a final game to determine the regional champion. The Cavaliers opened a 6-0 as Jake Gelof had a two-run homer in the third and a three-run shot in the top of the fifth. Gelof set a program record for most RBI’s in a single season with his first home run on Sunday.
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“First and foremost, disappointed with the end of the season. Certainly when it happens this sudden there is a lot of emotion from the player standpoint. That’s because they care about each other, they care about the uniform that they wear and they have a lot of respect for everything that they put into it,” said Virginia head coach Brian O’Connor.
“We did a great job against their starter (Michael Knorr), a terrific job. We took 6-0 lead and (Jake) Berry was pitching great and then just couldn’t find it. We had that tough inning but we were able to manage it. Make it 6-3 and they did a great job off (Paul) Kosanovich who has done a terrific job for us all year. Nobody’s swung the bat like that against him this year and they did a great job. He had left a couple of sliders up in the zone and they hit him out to their credit. We had some opportunities late and just couldn’t cash in. That’s the game.
“We did take advantage of those opportunities early. We talk a lot about this game as a game of momentum and part of our responsibility is to manage it when it’s not going your way and. Coastal climbed back in it and had some good momentum in the back half of the game and congratulations to them. They get a chance to move on to the title game.
“I’m just certainly disappointed for our guys, that said when we get a chance to go back and have reflect on the entire season, not just this moment, I know our guys will be very, very proud.
“I’m really proud that of this team and most importantly, proud of the young men who wear the uniform and how they represent our program and how they are as people.”
Virginia finishes the season with a record of 39-19.