Eikhoff shuts down Commodores in 13-3 Win in Regional Opener

CLEMSON, S.C. – Riley Eikhoff shut down the Vanderbilt Commodores to lead the Coastal Carolina Chanticleers to a 13-3 win in the NCAA Clemson Regional opening game at Doug Kingsmore Stadium on Friday afternoon. The Chants will take on the winner of the Clemson Tigers and High Point Panthers in the nightcap of opening day in the winner’s bracket.

CCU (35-23) was led by Caden Bodine (3-for-5, 2B, 2R, 2RBI), Sam Antonacci (2-for-4, HR, BB, 3R, 2RBI), and Zack Beach (2-for-5, R, 3RBI) with multiple hits at the plate, while Derek Bender, Graham Brown, and Ty Barrango added one hit each in the win. Eikhoff (6-1) worked 6.0 innings and allowed one runs on four hits with three strikeouts, while Bryce Shaffer, Andrew Bowers, and Oliver Ellison worked the final three innings combined.

Vanderbilt’s Alan Espinal and Matthew Polk led the offensive attack with two hits each, while Jonathan Vastine, Camden Kozeal, and RJ Austin had one hit each. Commodore starter JD Thompson pitched 3.2 innings, allowing eight runs on six hits with a pair of walks and striking out five batters. Relievers Alex Kranzler and Sam Hliboki worked a combined 5.1 innings, giving up three hits and allowed five runs with Kranzler striking out six hitters.

After a scoreless first inning, the Chanticleers opened the scoring after Bender and Blake Barthol led off the top of the second by getting hit and both advancing 90 feet on a sacrifice bunt by Dean Mihos. Beach singled up the middle to put CCU on top 2-0. A pair of walks sandwiched a strikeout to load the bases before Brown singled to left center to score Ty Barrango and Beach followed by a Bodine RBI double to give Coastal a 5-0 lead.

The Commodores got their first hit of the game in the bottom of the third after JD Rogers walked to lead off the home half of the frame. Rogers moved to second on a single to left center by Vastine but CCU’s Eikhoff ended the threat with a pair of groundouts.

The Chanticleers added some insurance runs in the top of the fourth inning as Barrango led off with a single up the middle and moved to second on the second Chanticleer sac bunt of the game. After Antonacci’s hit-by-pitch put runners first and third, Bodine singled to left to score Barrango and advanced to second on the throw to third. Bender singled to right field to plate both Antonacci and Bodine to make the score 8-0.

Coastal’s Eikhoff for the second inning allowed a runner to reach second on a one out single and a two out walk before enticing a slow groundball to third for the easy force to end threat.

Vanderbilt scored its first run when Espinal homered to right center as the Commodores trailed 8-1.

After a scoreless seventh inning, Coastal’s Antonacci blasted a two-run home run to right center followed by the Chanticleers adding three runs on a pair of groundouts and a single to make the score 13-1 in the top of the eighth. Vanderbilt’s Espinal doubled down the third base line to score Austin, who singled earlier. Espinal scored the final run after a single and CCU throwing error allowed the final run to score.

Coastal Carolina will take on the winner of Clemson and High Point in the winner’s bracket on Saturday, June 1 at 5 p.m. ET.