The UNC Wilmington baseball team continued its streak of big bats Tuesday night against the College of Charleston for the second time this season. The Seahawks were able to slug their way to an early lead and never looked back, claiming a victory of 7-3.

Seven different players accounted for the 12-hit game, while the pitching staff was able to hold the Cougars to no more than one hit per batter. Jumping out to an early lead of 5-0 through four innings, the Seahawks went scoreless and allowed the Cougars to creep up to a 5-3 deficit before the offensive leader of the night Tyler Molinaro blasted a two-run homer that extended the lead to 7-3.

The junior outfielder also had a solid defensive game, with a sliding catch as the final out of the game. “When I was struggling a little bit (offensively), I focused on defense,” Molinaro said. “I had to find a way to help the team, but to know you can go out there and help your teammates out after they have been picking you up all season is a great feeling.”

Coach Mark Scalf believes that critical hits like Molinaro’s have helped the team’s pitching and defense, as well. “Seeing our hitters begin to play with confidence has really increased the confidence in our pitching staff, knowing they don’t have to be perfect on every pitch,” Scalf said. “It’s the same thing from the defensive standpoint. I think we’ve played better defense knowing we are swinging the bats.”

The pitching continued to be strong again for the Seahawks. Reliever Jack Lane picked up the win after retiring all five batters he faced on the mound. With the win, the Diamond Hawks improve to a 10-10 overall record, including a 7-1 mark in their last eight games. Against the Cougars, the Seahawks have swept them for the season bringing the all-time record to 4-4. They are also still in first place in the CAA with a record of 5-1.

This weekend, UNCW will hit the road for a three-game series against Virginia Commonwealth University. The next home game is March 30 versus Old Dominion University.