#6 Coastal Faces Charleston in Midweek Showdown

No. 6 Coastal Carolina takes on College of Charleston in a midweek showdown on Teal Tuesday at Springs Brooks Stadium. First pitch is set for 4 p.m. EST, airing on ESPN+.

The Chanticleers are coming off a series sweep this past weekend over Fairfield, anchored by their pitching staff. Through the first three games, Coastal has allowed just four runs total and has held opponents to a batting average of .162 while striking out 36.

Senior Darin Horn impressed in his first appearance of the season in Game 1 of the series, coming on in relief of Cameron Flukey. The right-hander tossed 3.1 innings, allowing just two hits while striking out four to earn the win in Coastal’s season opener.

Georgia State transfer Ross Norman earned a win in his Chanticleer debut in Game 2 of the series, allowing just one run on four hits, showing potential to make a positive impact in the rotation.

Freshman reliever Colby Richardson was electric in his collegiate debut in Game 2 of the series, allowing no hits in 2.2 innings of work, striking out three batters.

Sophomore Luke Jones punched out seven over 4.1 scoreless innings before handing the ball to the bullpen in Game 3. Scott Doran (1-0) secured the win with 1.2 hitless frames and four strikeouts, while freshman Case Bosch notched his first collegiate save, striking out six across 3.0 scoreless innings and surrendering just one hit. Coastal pitchers combined for 17 strikeouts in the 5-0 shutout win, which was noted as the program’s highest total in a non-conference game since 2021.

Pitching coach Matt Williams and his staff look to carry that momentum into their midweek showdown and the upcoming Baseball at the Beach tournament, where Coastal will face VCU and Illinois.

Offensively, returning senior Dean Mihos leads the club with five hits and nine total bases, maintaining a .385 average with a home run.

In three games started, JUCO transfer Trace Mazon has impressed, leading the club in RBI’s with four and maintaining a .364 average. After five scoreless innings, Mazon delivered a three-run triple in the left-center gap in Game 3 against Fairfield, igniting the Coastal offense.

The Cougars are now 20-1 in season openers since 2006, following their 8-3 win on opening day.

Redshirt Senior Alex Lyon threw 4.2 scoreless innings in relief for Hayden Thomas and allowed no earned runs on 47 pitches, earning the win.

Junior Brent Gibbs went 3-for-4 with a walk and two runs scored. Gibbs is tied for first in the program in hits (6) as well as batting average (.400).

Charleston lost both ends of a doubleheader on Saturday. In Game 1 of the doubleheader, the Cougars were up 2-1 through five innings, but Rutgers pulled away, scoring four runs in the sixth and eighth innings, before making it a 13-2 ballgame, scoring three runs in the ninth.

In Game 2 of the doubleheader, the Scarlet Knights jumped to a 5-0 advantage through three innings. Freshman Nick Diaz, sophomore Jackson Berini and Gibbs each tallied two hits in the loss.

In the final game of the series, Rutgers took a 6-0 advantage in the first inning, but the Cougars clawed back as Ethan Phyler, Dylan Johnson and Diaz hit three straight extra-base knocks, scoring three runs in the first. Phyler then tallied an RBI single in the next inning, but Rutgets went on to score eight unanswered runs to cap the series victory.

Freshman Jackson Smallets will take the bump for Coastal, making his collegiate debut. The right-hander was an All-State and All-Conference pitcher from Gloucester Catholic in New Jersey.

Charleston leads the all-time series 28-27 against the Chanticleers. The Cougars defeated Coastal 15-5 in Conway in February of 2025 and 5-2 in an upset in April of 2025. Only Charleston, Wake Forest, Troy and College World Series Champion LSU defeated Coastal twice in 2025.