CONWAY, SC — Coastal Carolina scored 14 runs in the last three innings to down East Carolina, 18-7, in the winners bracket matchup in the NCAA regional hosted by the Chanticleers on Saturday night.

ECU (34-26) faces Florida (39-21) in an elimination game scheduled for Sunday at noon.

A crowd of 6,423, the largest ever at Springs Brooks Stadium saw a tightly contested game for six innings. The Pirates, designated the home team in accordance with NCAA regulations, used a 2-run homer by Dixon Williams in the bottom of the fifth and a solo shot by Austin Irby in the sixth for a 5-4 lead.

Then Coastal (50-11) erupted.

Colby Thorndyke hit a grand slam in a 6-run seventh. Blagen Pado had a 2-run double as the Chants scored five ties in the eighth. Coastal got a 2-run homer from Pado in a 3-run ninth.

Thorndyke gave Coastal the initial lead with a solo homer in the second.

The Pirates tallied twice in the fourth as Wiliams came home on a ground out by Colby Wallace and Austin Irby had an RBI double.

Sebastian Alexander had a run-scoring double for the Chants in the fifth and a run came in on a ground out by Walker Mitchell as Coastal went ahead, 3-2.

The Chants led 20-13 in hits and committed one error. ECU had three errors.

Ethan Young relieved Sean Jenkins, who started and went two and one-third innings. Young went three and two-thirds with five strikeouts. Brad Pruett (5-6) followed Young to the mound and was charged with the loss.

Six ECU pitchers combined for 12 strikeouts.