STATESBORO - A five-run bottom of the sixth inning was the catalyst for a 10-3 Georgia Southern victory over the 20th-ranked Coastal Carolina Chanticleers on Saturday afternoon at J.I. Clements Stadium.

The Chanticleers (23-11, 8-6 SBC) scored the game's first run when Sam Antonacci doubled to right center field, scoring Ty Dooley for a 1-0 lead. The Eagles (19-16. 9-5 SBC) answered in the home half of the same inning when Kent Schmidt knocked an RBI-single to center field, scoring Cade Parker and tying the game.

Georgia Southern took its first lead of the day in the bottom of the fourth when Jarrett Jenkins scored reached on a throwing error by Coastal's pitcher, allowing Jonathan Jaime to reach home and put the Eagles up 2-1. Coastal's Graham Brown would tie the game with a solo homer in the top of the fifth inning. 

Southern again gained the lead in the bottom of the fifth inning with a sacrifice bunt by Sean White, scoring Jarrett Brown for a 3-2 lead, but Coastal again responded with a sacrifice fly in the top of the sixth to knot the game up at three-all.

The Eagles loaded the bases in the bottom of the sixth inning, when Brown hammered a ball down the left field line to clear the bases, doubling the lead at 6-3. JD Kaiser followed that with an RBI-single to left center to score Brown, then Schmidt reached home on a fielding error by the Coastal Carolina shortstop.

The Eagles added two more in the bottom of the seventh, both on bases-loaded walked by Schmidt and Kaiser, to hit double digits and take a 10-3 lead. 

Mitchell Gross closed the game out in brilliant fashion on the pitching side, with 3.2 innings of hitless and scoreless baseball. Gross sat down three and only gave up one free base, earning the victory. Starter Ben Johnson had an excellent start with 5.1 innings of three-run ball, striking out five and not allowing a free base.

UP NEXT
The Eagles and Chanticleers meet for a series-deciding game three on Sunday afternoon. First pitch is scheduled for 1 p.m.