By R.G. Richard
OMAHA, Neb. — Coastal Carolina broke open a tied game with three runs in the eighth inning, Dominick Carbone shut down a threat by Arizona in the ninth and the Chanticleers opened the College World Series with a 7-4 victory Friday.
The Chanticleers (54-11) extended their winning streak to 24 games in their first appearance in Omaha since they beat Arizona in the 2016 finals. They’ll play Sunday against the winner of Friday night’s game between Louisville and No. 8 national seed Oregon State.
“We’ve got a dugout full of hungry and humble dogs,” Coastal Carolina coach Kevin Schnall said.
Arizona (44-20), in the CWS for the first time since 2021, will play the Louisville-Oregon State loser on Sunday.
Coastal Carolina scored single runs in the fifth and sixth innings to forge a 4-all tie with the Wildcats and took the lead in the eighth after reliever Garrett Hicks (5-1) retired the first two batters.
Wells Skyes sliced an 0-2 pitch just inside the right-field line for a double and Caden Bodine was intentionally walked before Sebastian Alexander, who struck out in his previous three at-bats, singled in the go-ahead run. Arizona closer Tony Pluta came on and gave up Blake Barthol’s two-run double.
The Wildcats had runners on the corners with no outs in the ninth. Carbone struck out pinch-hitter Dom Rodriguez and then got Brendan Summerhill to hit into a game-ending double play.
The Chanticleers of the Sun Belt Conference arrived with the most wins and on the longest winning streak ever entering a CWS.
Gary Gilmore, who coached the 2016 national championship team and retired after last season, accepted Coastal Carolina coach Kevin Schnall‘s invitation to fly with the team to Omaha. He watched the game from the stands.
Chanticleers reliever Cameron Flukey (8-1) pitched four innings in relief of Riley Eikhoff and allowed two runs and two hits with a walk.
Coastal Carolina finished with 14 hits against four pitchers. Blagen Pado, who entered the NCAA Tournament batting .225, continued his postseason tear. He went 2 for 4 and is now 10 of 21 (.476) with three homers and eight RBI over six tournament games.
Arizona’s Mason White hit his 20th homer of the season, and 49th of his career, in the fourth inning, with Alexander leaping at the left-field fence and having the ball soar just over his outstretched glove.
The Wildcats’ Owen Kramkowski, coming off his worst start of the season in an 18-2 loss at North Carolina in Game 1 of the super regionals, scattered nine singles and a walk while giving up three runs in five innings. He struck out seven.
Notebook
- Fast Start, Strong Finish: Coastal Carolina struck first with two runs in the second inning, but saved its biggest punch for the eighth, scoring three times to take the lead for good.
- Mr. Clutch: Blake Barthol extended his postseason hitting streak to 10 games and delivered his second multi-RBI game of the NCAA Tournament. His eighth-inning double was his second of the game and his 13th of the season.
- Bodine’s Steady Hand: Catcher Caden Bodine singled, walked, drove in a run and handled a pitching staff that allowed only one walk across nine innings. He’s now thrown out 45 career baserunners, one shy of the school record.
- Flukey Does the Job: Cameron Flukey tossed four innings of middle relief, giving up two runs on two hits while striking out three. He also worked around a balk and a pair of hit batters in the sixth.
- Dominant Defense: The Chants turned two double plays, including a game-ending 4-3 twin killing in the ninth with the tying run on deck.
- Inside the Numbers:
- Coastal outhit Arizona 14-9.
- Dean Mihos and Ty Dooley each had multi-hit games from the bottom third of the lineup.
- The Chanticleers’ bullpen has now allowed two earned runs or fewer in 16 of the last 18 games.
- Up Next: Coastal Carolina advances to the winner’s bracket of the Men’s College World Series for the first time since 2016 and will play Sunday night. Arizona drops into an elimination game.
COURTESY COASTAL CAROLINA ATHLETIC COMMUNICATIONS
