Conway, SC – Coming into their weekend series at Coastal Carolina, the Stetson Hatters pitching staff had allowed three first inning runs all season.

In three games at Springs Brooks Stadium against the Chanticleers, the Hatters surrendered 18 first inning runs. Coastal Carolina scored six more on Saturday, leading to a 12-2 victory over Stetson and completing a three-game sweep of the Hatters.

In each of the big first innings for the Chanticleers (16-9) a Stetson (12-13) error played a major role. That was the case on Saturday as a throwing error by Stetson starter Jack Perkins (0-1) on a sacrifice bunt attempt opened the door.

Following the error, Coastal got an RBI double from Zach Remillard followed by run-scoring singles from Tyler Chadwick, Billy Cooke and Seth Lancaster. Catcher Matt Beaird capped the inning with a two-run single.

Stetson answered with a pair of runs off Chanticleers starter Tyler Poole (4-1) in the second when Jack Machonis delivered a two-run single. The promising inning was quickly stamped out, however, when Austin Hale grounded into a double play.

The Hatters managed just one more base runner off Poole until the sixth inning. Overall the senior right-hander worked six innings, allowing the two runs on four hits with six strikeouts. A trio of Coastal pitchers – Andrew Beckwith, Austin Kitchen and Mike Morrison – followed with single innings to close out the game.

The Stetson bullpen was able to keep the hot-hitting Chanticleers at bay for the most part the rest of the day. Perkins surrendered 10 of the 15 Coastal Carolina Hits in the first inning and a third, allowing eight runs, but only three earned.

Logan Gilbert allowed two runs, one earned in his 3.2 innings of work. Tyler Keller also allowed one in his inning while Josh Thorne and Walker Sheller pitched the final two frames.

After hitting eight home runs in the first two games of the series, Coastal managed just one on Saturday. Junior G.K. Young blasted a solo shot off Gilbert in the fifth.

For Stetson, Kirk Sidwell continued his hot hitting, adding two more hits on Saturday. The Hatters managed just six base hits in the game, two of which came in the ninth inning.

Young and Remillard had three hits each for Coastal Carolina. Tyler Chadwick, who had seven hits in the series and drove in 12 runs, had two more hits on Saturday, as did Beaird.

The Hatters will be on the road again on Tuesday night when they travel to Tampa for a 6:30 p.m. game against USF. Stetson will return home next Friday to open a three-game series against The Citadel.