COLLEGE WORLD SERIES

First-time success

Coastal Carolina holds off Arizona for title

Coastal Carolina players pile up near the pitcher’s mound after the Chanticleers used a four-run sixth inning to beat Arizona 4-3 in Game 3 of the College World Series on Thursday afternoon to win the program’s first national title.
Coastal Carolina players pile up near the pitcher’s mound after the Chanticleers used a four-run sixth inning to beat Arizona 4-3 in Game 3 of the College World Series on Thursday afternoon to win the program’s first national title.

COASTAL CAROLINA 4, ARIZONA 3

OMAHA, Neb. -- Coastal Carolina Coach Gary Gilmore often said he just wanted his team to reach the College World Series.

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AP

Designated hitter G.K.Young rounds the bases after hitting a tworun home run for Coastal Carolina, which captured the College World Series in its first appearance.

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AP

Coastal Carolina Coach Gary Gilmore celebrates after his team won the national championship Wednesday. “They thought we played in a small conference and couldn’t get this done,” he said. “This bunch wanted to prove everybody wrong.”

Until this week, he never imagined the Chanticleers would do so much more: They're heading back to Conway, S.C., with the school's first national championship in any sport.

At a glance

CHAMPIONSHIP SERIES

(Best-of-3)

COASTAL CAROLINA VS. ARIZONA

MONDAY’S GAME

Arizona 3, Coastal Carolina 0

TUESDAY’S GAME

Coastal Carolina 5, Arizona 4

THURSDAY’S GAME

Coastal Carolina 4, Arizona 3

CCU wins series

CWS Most Outstanding Players

2016 Andrew Beckwith, Coastal Carolina, Jr., p

2015 Josh Sborz, Virginia, Jr., p

2014 Dansby Swanson, Vanderbilt, So., 2b

2013 Adam Plutko, UCLA, Jr., p

2012 Robert Refsnyder, Arizona, Jr., rf

2011 Scott Wingo, South Carolina, Sr., 2b

2010 Jackie Bradley Jr., South Carolina, So., of

2009 Jared Mitchell, LSU, Jr., of

2008 Tommy Mendonca, Fresno St., So., 3b

2007 Jorge Reyes, Oregon St., Fr., p

2006 Jonah Nickerson, Oregon St., Jr., p

2005 David Maroul, Texas, Sr., 3b

2004 Jason Windsor, Cal St. Fullerton, Sr., p

2003 x-John Hudgins, Stanford, Jr., p

2002 Huston Street, Texas, Fr., p

2001 Charlton Jimerson, Miami, Sr., of

2000 Trey Hodges, LSU, Sr., p

1999 x-Marshall McDougall, Florida St., Jr., 2b

1998 Wes Rachels, Southern Cal, Sr., 2b

1997 Brandon Larson, LSU, Jr., ss

1996 x-Pat Burrell, Miami, Fr., 3b

1995 Mark Kotsay, Cal St. Fullerton, So., of-p

1994 Chip Glass, Oklahoma, Sr., of

1993 Todd Walker, LSU, So., 2b

1992 x-Phil Nevin, Cal St. Fullerton, Jr., 3b

1991 Gary Hymel, LSU, Sr., c

1990 Mike Rebhan, Georgia, Sr., p

1989 Greg Brummett, Wichita St., Sr., p

1988 Lee Plemel, Stanford, Sr., p

1987 Paul Carey, Stanford, Fr., of

1986 Mike Senne, Arizona, Sr., of

1985 Greg Ellena, Miami, Jr., dh

1984 John Fishel, Cal St. Fullerton, Jr., of

1983 Calvin Schiraldi, Texas, Jr., p

1982 Dan Smith, Miami, Jr., p

1981 Stan Holmes, Arizona St., Sr., of

1980 Terry Francona, Arizona, Jr., of

1979 Tony Hudson, Cal St. Fullerton, So., p

1978 Rod Boxberger, Southern Cal, Jr., p

1977 Bob Horner, Arizona St., So., 2b

1976 Steve Powers, Arizona, Sr., dh-p

1975 Mickey Reichenbach, Texas, So., 1b

1974 George Milke, Southern Cal, So., p

1973 x-Dave Winfield, Minnesota, Sr., of-p

1972 Russ McQueen, Southern Cal, So., p

1971 x-Jerry Tabb, Tulsa, Fr., 1b

1970 x-Gene Ammann, Florida St., Jr., p

1969 John Dolinsek, Arizona St., Jr., of

1968 Bill Seinsoth, Southern Cal, Jr., 1b

1967 Ron Davini, Arizona St., Jr., c

1966 Steve Arlin, Ohio St., Jr., p

1965 Sal Bando, Arizona St., Sr., 3b

1964 x-Joe Ferris, Maine, So., p

1963 Bud Hollowell, Southern Cal, Jr., c

1962 x-Bob Garibaldi, Santa Clara, So., p

1961 x-Littleton Fowler, Oklahoma St., So., p

1960 John Erickson, Minnesota, Sr., 2b

1959 Jim Dobson, Oklahoma, So., 3b

1958 Bill Thorn, Southern Cal, Jr., p

1957 x-Cal Emery, Penn St., So., 1b

1956 Jerry Thomas, Minnesota, Jr., p

1955 x-Tom Borland, Oklahoma St., Sr., p

1954 x-Tom Yewcic, Michigan St., Sr., c

1953 x-J.L. Smith, Texas, Jr., p

1952 James O’Neill, Holy Cross, Sr., p

1951 x-Sidney Hatfield, Tennessee, Jr., 1b-p

1950 x-Ray VanCleef, Rutgers, Jr., of

1949 Tom Hamilton, Texas, senior, 1b

x-not on championship team

The Chanticleers defeated Arizona 4-3 in the deciding Game 3 of the College World Series finals Thursday, capitalizing on two errors on the same play to score four unearned runs in the sixth inning of a game delayed a day by bad weather.

It was worth the wait.

"Whenever I die, I'll know this group of guys here, they willed themselves to be the national champion," Gilmore said. "It was just meant to be, no doubt. If there is such a thing as a team of destiny, this group is it."

Coastal Carolina (55-18) became the first team since Minnesota in 1956 to win the title in its first CWS appearance. Arizona (49-24) was trying for its second national title since 2012, but came up just short in a season in which it was picked to finish ninth in the Pac-12.

"Amazing season, and they're a deserving champion," first-year coach Jay Johnson said of the Chanticleers. "We played as good as we possibly could this year, and they're the best team we've played, in my opinion."

Andrew Beckwith (15-1), the national leader in victories, went 5 2/3 innings after pitching two complete games and picked up his third victory of the CWS. He was named the Most Outstanding Player.

"He's been coaching for 21 years, and he deserves every bit of it," Beckwith said of Gilmore. "We got him to Omaha and we got him a national championship. The senior class, the hard work in the fall, the dedication of the guys who don't play much. It doesn't go unnoticed. It was a full team effort the whole College World Series, and we got it done."

Alex Cunningham earned his first save, striking out Ryan Haug with a full-count fastball to end the game after Arizona had pulled within a one in the bottom of the ninth. When Haug swung and missed, Cunningham turned to his dugout, beat his chest with his fist three times and saluted before flipping his glove away to start the celebration.

"The running joke is that in high school I lost the state championship three times in a row. I was not going to lose this one, I promise you that," Cunningham said.

The championship was the first in a team sport in the 33-year history of the Big South Conference, but the conference can savor the accomplishment for only about eight hours. The Chanticleers become members of the Sun Belt Conference today.

"This program has been a lot better than people give it credit for," Gilmore said. "They thought we played in a small conference and couldn't get this done. This bunch wanted to prove everybody wrong."

Arizona, which came into the day with just two errors in seven CWS games, saw second baseman Cody Ramer commit two on the same play in the sixth inning. He couldn't get a handle on a grounder, allowing David Parrett to score from third. Then Ramer tried to get Michael Paez running from second to third, but he overthrew Kyle Lewis. That allowed Paez to come home. G.K. Young then launched a no-doubt home run into the seats above the right-field bullpen for a 4-0 lead.

"It's the best feeling of my life," Young said. "I'm trying not to cry right now. Just dreaming of that in my head since I was 10 years old, hitting a home run in the College World Series. I never would have thought it would come in the championship game."

The Wildcats cut the lead in half with two unearned runs in the bottom of the sixth against a tiring Beckwith. Arizona's Bobby Dalbec (11-6) worked 5 2/3 innings, striking out eight to increase his CWS total to 25 in 20 innings.

Arizona's first two batters in the bottom of the ninth reached base against Cunningham, and Gibbons' sacrifice fly made it a one-run game with two outs. Ryan Aguilar then doubled into the left-field corner, but Ramer was held at third because Anthony Marks was able to get the ball back to the infield so quickly.

"That's the play of the season in college baseball," Johnson said. "We play aggressively, but Cody would have been out by 100 feet -- and I know it's only 90 feet. I can't believe the play that was made."

Arizona catcher Cesar Salazar left the game at the end of the seventh inning after getting hit on the top of the head by Paez's bat on a swing-and-miss strike three. Salazar briefly lay face down and was tended to by an athletic trainer. He walked off under his own power and was replaced by Haug.

Because of the noon start -- caused by the rain-and-lightning postponement Wednesday night -- people attending the U.S. Olympic swim trials across the street at CenturyLink Center were admitted for free to the outfield seats. The game drew 18,823, raising tournament attendance to 341,667, the third-highest all-time.

Sports on 07/01/2016

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