Game One of MCWS is Deja Vu for Arizona Fans
In 2016, the Coastal Carolina Chanticleers had their first Men’s College World Series berth and fought hard enough to win it all. They took down the Arizona Wildcats two games to one. Since 2016, the Chanticleers have been unable to relive the glory of being World Champions. However, nearly a decade later, the Chancleteers and Wildcats are back in Omaha, both with something to prove.
Coastal Carolina fans and Arizona fans are feeling a sense of deja vu after game one of the 2025 Men’s College World Series. A rematch of the 2016 final series, both teams came in wanting a win. The Wildcats weren’t even supposed to make it this far. The North Carolina Tar Heels were expected to be in their place, but, defying all odds and expectations, Arizona punched their ticket to Omaha in Chapel Hill, NC on June 8th. On the other hand, the Chanticleers cruised through their hometown regional and the Auburn Super Regional.
The Chanticleers struck first, scoring two runs in the bottom of the second inning. After a quiet third inning, the Wildcats struck back, responding with two runs of their own in the top of the fourth. Back and forth, the two teams fought, neither wanting to be the first team eliminated in the MCWS. Things started to get interesting in the final three innings of the game. Tied at four runs, both teams struggled to be the first to break the tie. Coastal, originally given the thirteen seed to start the postseason, were no match for Garrett Hicks in the seventh inning. With a runner on third and one out Hicks made lightwork of the Chanticleer’s last two batters. Cameron Flukey of Coastal Carolina dominated on the mound as well.
One right pitch from Hicks sent the Chanticleers over their scoring hump. A ball that was just barely in fair territory was all they needed to get hot and regain their lead. Three runs in the bottom of the eighth broke the tie and gave Coastal a 7-4 lead. Suddenly, it was 2016 again, and the National Championship was theirs for the taking. Though both teams will live to play another day, the win for Coastal has catapulted them into the winners’ bracket, and Arizona will have to win two more games to ensure they stay afloat.
