OMAHA, Nebr. (KVOA) – Arizona Baseball fell to Coastal Carolina in its College World Series opener. 

The Wildcats lost 7-4 in Omaha. It’s the Chants 24th straight win.

The rematch of the 2016 College World Series Finals lived up to the hype, with the game tied at four entering the 8th. 

Coastal Carolina broke the game open in the bottom of the 8th with a three-run two-out rally. Wells Sykes hit a bloop double on the right field line. The Wildcats intentionally walked Bodine. Sebastian Alexander, who was 0-3 at the plate before the at-bat, scored a go-ahead run off a bloop single to center to go up 5-4. The Chants added two more off a Blake Barthol two-run double to right center.

The Wildcats, down to their final three outs, needed to rally. Andrew Cain led off the inning with a double. After that Coastal Carolina brought in pitcher Dominick Carbone. Tommy Splaine singled to right center to bring the tying run to the plate with no outs. Dom Rodriguez struck out while pinch hitting for Easton Breyfogle. Brendan Summerhill grounded into a double play, ending the game. 

Coastal Carolina’s opened up the scoring in the second. Colby Thorndyke and Blagen Pado each had singles. Ty Dooley popped up on a bunt. Starting pitcher Owen Kramkowski couldn’t make the diving catch so it turned into a base hit. With the bases loaded and no outs in the second, Wells Sykes hit a two-run single to left center field to give the Chants a 2-0 lead.

The Wildcats heated up in the fourth. Mason White hit an opposite field home run, just over left fielder Sebastian Alexander’s glove. The Tucson native’s 49th career home run gave Arizona a 1-0 lead. White set the Arizona career record for extra base hits with 111. Dave Stegman had 110 from 1973-76. Adonys Guzman followed White’s home run with an opposite field double down the right field line. Maddox Mihalakis scored Guzman with a double to right field to tie the game at two.

Coastal Carolina regained a 3-2 lead with a Blagen Pado RBI single in the 5th.

Arizona took its first lead of the game in the 6th. The Cats loaded the bases in the sixth with two hit by pitches and a push bunt from Guzman. Mihalakis drew a hit by pitch (the third of the inning) to tie the game at three. Garen Caulfield’s fielder’s choice put the U of A up 4-3. 

Coastal Carolina tied the game in the bottom of the frame with a RBI ground out from Caden Bodine. 

Starter Kramkowski settled in after a shaky second inning. He gave up three runs on nine hits in five innings with seven strikeouts. Casey Hintz came in in the 6th and gave up one run in an inning and third. Garrett Hicks took the loss after giving up a run in 1/13 innings pitched.

Riley Eikoff started for Coastal Carolina. He gave up two runs on six hits in four innings with four strikeouts. Cameron Flukey came in to start the fifth and earned the win. He gave up two runs on two hits in four innings with two strikeouts. Carbone earned the save for the Chants.

Arizona will play either Louisville or Oregon State Sunday in the loser’s bracket. The Wildcats must win to stay alive in Omaha.