OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — Andrew Beckwith matched his career high with seven strikeouts, Zach Remillard doubled and tripled in runs, and Coastal Carolina upset No. 1 national seed Florida 2-1 on Sunday night in the program’s first College World Series game.
The Chanticleers of the Big South Conference pulled the stunner against the vaunted Florida pitching staff that sent to the mound two first-round picks, a second-rounder, third-rounder and 10th-rounder.
Beckwith (13-1), never drafted, put on a dazzling and efficient performance mixing sidearm and overhand deliveries. The Gators’ only run came on Jeremy Vasquez’s pinch single in the fifth. Beckwith allowed two singles the rest of the way and retired the last 10 batters in the first complete game of his career.
He set down the Gators’ 3-4-5 batters in the bottom of the ninth. Peter Alonso popped out and JJ Schwarz grounded out. That prompted the Chanticleers’ fans to start chanting “C-C-U! C-C-U!” and “Let’s go, Coastal!” before Mike Rivera grounded out, with shortstop Michael Paez double-pumping on his throw to first.
The biggest victory in Coastal Carolina’s history comes in the third stage of its incredible postseason run. The Chanticleers beat host North Carolina State in the regional final and swept No. 8 national seed LSU on the road in super regionals to advance to Omaha.
The Chanticleers (50-16) have won 39 of their past 47 games and will play TCU in a Bracket 2 winners’ game on Tuesday night. The Gators (52-15), who came here favored to win the program’s first national title, will try to stave off elimination against Texas Tech that afternoon.
The Chanticleers got to Florida starter Logan Shore (12-1) for five hits — two triples and three doubles. The Oakland Athletics’ second-round draft pick left with none out in the sixth after Remillard’s RBI triple past Buddy Reed in left-center put the Chanticleers up 2-1.
Coastal Carolina had chances to add to its lead in the sixth, seventh and eighth innings. First-round pick Dane Dunning extinguished the threat in the sixth, third baseman Jonathan India turned a double play to end the seventh and third-rounder Shaun Anderson cleaned up a mess in the eighth after Dunning and first-rounder A.J. Puk hit batters to load the bases.
Coastal Carolina opened the scoring in the third inning after a video review overturned a foul-ball call. With runners on first and second, Remillard launched a fly down the right-field line. First-base umpire Jeff Doy ruled the ball foul, but video showed the ball landed on the line. After umpires conferred for just over four minutes, they directed Anthony Marks to score from second and Connor Owings to go from first to third and Remillard to go to second.
A No. 1 national seed hasn’t won the national championship since Miami in 1999, the first year of the current tournament format.
