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Hen baseball team drops opener to Coastal Carolina

Dave Harden hit two home runs in the loss to Coastal Carolina.

11:37 a.m., Feb. 16, 2004--After dropping the lone game of a rain-shortened series, the University of Delaware baseball team is preparing to face East Carolina University this weekend.

The Fightin’ Blue Hens fell 12-7 to Coastal Carolina University in the season opener at Charles Watson Stadium in Conway, S.C., on Friday. Two weekend games were canceled because of a rainstorm that pushed through the region.

The Hens are scheduled to play a three-game set at East Carolina in Greenville, N.C., this Friday, Saturday and Sunday.

UD’s opening home series is scheduled Saturday and Sunday, Feb. 28-29, against St. Joseph’s University at Bob Hannah Stadium.

In Friday’s loss to Coastal Carolina, UD got two home runs from junior Dave Harden and another from senior Steve Van Note.

UD senior co-captain Mike Mihalik (0-1) took the loss, allowing five hits and seven runs, six of which were earned, in three innings of work. He struck out four batters.

Steve Carter picked up the win for the Chanticleers, allowing seven hits and four earned runs in five innings of work. He struck out three Hens.

Juniors Ryan Graham and Brock Donovan added two hits each for the Hens, who have now dropped their opener at Coastal Carolina three of the past four seasons.

Coastal Carolina (3-0) blew the game open with five runs in the third inning. Leading 1-0 entering the bottom half of the third, Coastal Carolina’s Mike Costanzo doubled home Brett Grandstrand and Ryan McGraw to extend the lead to 3-0.

Chad Oxendine singled home Costanzo later in the inning to make it 4-0 before Greg Orsimarsi scored on a double by Michael DeJesus. Mihalik then walked junior Chris Todd with the bases loaded to force in another run and give Coastal Carolina a 6-0 lead.

Van Note and Harden both homered in the top of the fourth to cut the deficit to 6-2 but Coastal Carolina scored in the bottom of the inning to take a 7-2 lead.

The Hens answered with two more runs in the top of the fifth as Donovan singled home sophomore Brent Rogers and Graham scored on a fielding error to cut the lead to 7-4.

The Chanticleers scored two runs in the bottom of the inning to make it 9-4 before the Hens scored twice in the top of the sixth. Harden scored on a groundout by junior Kelly Buber then sophomore Jason Valichka scored on a sacrifice by Rogers to trim the lead to 9-6.

UD could muster just one more run on Harden's second homer of the game in the eighth. The Chanticleers scored single runs in the sixth, seventh and eighth innings to seal the win.

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