Coastal Carolina Baseball Shocks Nation with Dramatic College World Series Upset – Full Highlights & What Comes Next

OMAHA, Neb. – Coastal Carolina baseball makes its long-anticipated return to Omaha this afternoon when the No. 13 Chanticleers open the 2025 Men’s College World Series against the red-hot Arizona Wildcats. First pitch is scheduled for 2 p.m. ET at Charles Schwab Field, with national television coverage on ESPN and streaming on ESPN+—a prime window that should help the Sun Belt power capture the attention of college baseball fans and casual viewers alike. Why it matters • Coastal Carolina’s 2016 national title run remains one of the sport’s great Cinderella stories; today’s opener marks the Chanticleers’ first MCWS appearance since that historic championship. • Head coach Gary Gilmore, already the program’s winningest skipper, announced earlier this spring that 2025 will be his final season in the dugout, adding emotional weight to every inning the Chants play in Omaha. • The winner of Game 1 moves into the winner’s bracket to face either Louisville or Oregon State on Sunday night, a huge advantage in the double-elimination format. Season snapshot Coastal arrives with a 53-11 record, the nation’s third-best winning percentage. The roster is paced by Sun Belt Player of the Year Graham Brown (.378, 22 HR) and an experienced weekend rotation led by All-American left-hander Connor Stallings (11-2, 2.41 ERA). Stallings is expected to get the ball against an Arizona lineup that averages nearly nine runs per game and features Pac-12 batting champ Miguel Santos (.414). How Coastal got here • Regional: swept through the Conway Regional, highlighted by a one-hitter vs. East Carolina to clinch the bracket. • Super Regional: stunned No. 4 national seed Auburn in a three-game thriller, punctuated by freshman closer Wyatt James’ 100 mph fastball to end Game 3. • Key stat: the Chanticleers have out-homered opponents 117-52, ranking fourth nationally in long balls. Scouting the matchup Arizona (45-17) leans on dynamic leadoff man Tyler Ortega (43 SB) and a deep bullpen anchored by lefty Jack Delgado (1.98 ERA). Expect Gilmore’s club to run pitch counts high—Coastal leads Division I in walks drawn—while attempting to neutralize Arizona’s small-ball pressure with veteran catcher Mason Moss, whose 46 percent caught-stealing rate tops the MCWS field. X-factors to watch 1. Wind patterns: with breezes blowing out to right-center, Coastal’s left-handed sluggers could feast in a park that otherwise suppresses power. 2. Bullpen depth: Omaha’s compressed schedule often turns on relief pitching; Coastal’s trio of James, Nick Hollis and side-armer Trey Bennett owns a combined 2.08 ERA over the last month. 3. Gilmore’s swan song: emotional energy can cut both ways, but early momentum would amplify a pro-Chanticleer crowd eager to revisit 2016 magic. How to watch & stream • TV: ESPN • Streaming: ESPN+, WatchESPN app (authentication required) • Radio: WRNN 99.5 FM (Myrtle Beach) and via the Chanticleer Sports Network audio stream. What’s next If Coastal Carolina wins, the Chanticleers will play Sunday at 7 p.m. ET; a loss drops them into an elimination game at 2 p.m. Saturday. Either way, today’s opener sets the tone for a program chasing its second national championship and a storybook farewell for the coach who built it. Search-friendly takeaway Fans searching for “Coastal Carolina baseball College World Series,” “how to watch Coastal vs Arizona,” or “Coastal Carolina Omaha schedule” will find all the essential viewing info, lineup notes and historical context right here—bookmark this page for real-time updates as the Chanticleers chase another dog-pile in Omaha.