Myrtle Beach, Coastal Carolina Host College Baseball’s Best This Weekend
As the Coastal Carolina baseball team prepares Friday to host an NCAA Tournament Regional for the first time in its history, it represents a landmark opportunity for the boys from Conway to make an enormous splash on the national college sports landscape. While The Sun News offers complete coverage of the weekend action (including ticket information for the full slate of games at Coastal Federal Field), we here at The Beach Blog turn to some national college baseball pundits to get their thoughts on the Chanticleers' chances.
Amy Farnum of NCAASports.com writes on how top regional seed Coastal Carolina is now reaping the rewards of having no real superstars, but a superbly balanced attack that will make life tough on its regional competitors - No. 2 seed (and preseason #1 in the country) Clemson, No. 3 St. John's and No. 4 Virginia Commonwealth.
What Others are Saying About Coastal Carolina Baseball
Aaron Fitt, lead college writer for Baseball America, offered these thoughts on whether Coastal Carolina should have received one of the NCAA Tournament's top eight overall seeds (which would have guaranteed the Chanticleers home-field advantage for next week's Super Regionals should they advance to that point, and given them their best possible path to the College World Series in Omaha, Neb.), and on how tough the Myrtle Beach Regional shapes up:
"If I were deciding the national seeds, I would have given the nod to Coastal over Arkansas, but I do think choosing the Razorbacks is very defensible. The Myrtle Beach regional looks daunting. Clemson's pitching staff is so deep, St. John's is very balanced, and VCU is a strong No. 4."
Fitt also shared his view on why Arkansas was given the nod for a top-eight seed over Coastal: "... The (flawed, in my opinion) explanation that Larry Templeton gave us yesterday was that Arkansas proved itself by winning the SEC West and reaching the SEC title game."
From Kyle Peterson, college baseball analyst, ESPN:
"The Myrtle Beach Regional is also interesting, as Coastal Carolina will host at Coastal Federal Field, the local minor league ballpark. Playing at Coastal Federal doesn't necessarily give the Chanticleers home-field advantage, as the park plays to Clemson's strengths and is a short distance for the Tigers. College World Series participants in 2006, Clemson expects to win this time of year. It's all new for Coastal Carolina."
Peterson picks Clemson to advance to the College World Series, with Arizona State to win it all.
Eric Sorenson of CSTV.com, on Friday's match-up between Virginia Commonwealth and Coastal Carolina:
"On paper, this is probably the most attractive 4-vs.-1 matchup. The Rams cruised through the CAA tourney unbeaten and have one of the most intriguing pitchers in the country in Luke Pisker, who went 9-1 with 11 saves and a 1.87 ERA. VCU will come in brimming with confidence. But (Coastal Carolina's) Bobby Gagg (11-2, 2.75) is a mentally tough pitcher and the .322 avg. and 72-HR offense tends to break teams down. This is the year CCU has been waiting for. Time to step up.
"What to do after game two? Easy. Get some genuine Calabash seafood, wash it down with Pabst Blue Ribbon and get a room within earshot of the crashing waves at The Breakers Inn."
Sounds like a plan. Let us know what you think of the Chanticleers' chances, and enjoy the action!
Two wins today, and on to the Super Regionals. Go Chants—get it done!
Never mind. Clemson should be arrested for vandalism, with all the windshields they hit behind the left-field wall. Those cars were the only thing keeping those bombs off Grissom Parkway. Oh, well.