Photo by: CCU Photography
Chanticleers Set for 2022 Guardian Credit Union Baseball Championship
5/24/2022 1:45:00 PM | Baseball
Sun Belt Championship Tournament CentralPurchase TicketsHank 105.5 FMWRNN Hot Talk 99.5 FMCoastal Baseball Game Notes (PDF)
Chants will open the tournament with No. 6 Troy on Wednesday at 10 a.m. ET
CONWAY, S.C. – Entering the No. 3 seed, the Coastal Carolina baseball team will open up play at the 2022 Guardian Credit Union Baseball Championship presented by Troy University versus the No. 6 seeded Troy Trojans on Wednesday, May 25, at 10 a.m. ET/9 a.m. CT at Riverwalk Stadium in Montgomery, Ala.
• All of CCU's contests will also be carried live at HANK 105.5 FM OR WRNN Hot Talk 99.5 FM.
• Links to live stats, video, and audio coverage of the game can be found on the baseball schedule page at www.GoCCUsports.com.
• Fans can also follow along on Twitter at @CoastalBaseball.
• Senior pitcher Michael Knorr, senior designated hitter Tyler Johnson, and junior third baseman Dale Thomas were all named to the All-Sun Belt second team.
• The Chanticleers are 10-3 all-time in Sun Belt Conference Tournament play and have not lost more than one game in any year. CCU was beaten by Texas State 7-5 in a single-elimination game in 2017 and then ran off five consecutive wins in 2019 after losing in the first round to UTA 9-8 in 10 innings.
• In last year's tournament, the Chanticleers went 1-1 in Pool Play with a 15-1 win in seven innings over Little Rock before falling to the eventual 2021 champions in South Alabama 14-7 in game two.
• Coastal went on to repeat in 2018 and added the Sun Belt Conference Tournament Championship title, posting a 23-7 regular-season conference record along the way.
• Despite slipping to 15-13 in conference play and finishing fifth in the regular-season standings in 2019, the Chanticleers ran through the Sun Belt Conference Tournament to repeat champions.
• After 2020 was canceled, the Chants had their worst conference season in over 25 years in 2021, finishing the conference regular-season slate at 9-12 overall.
• This year, CCU went 21-8-1 in Sun Belt Conference play, which included five Sun Belt Conference series sweeps over Arkansas State, Appalachian State, UTA, Little Rock, and Troy, as well as a road series win at then-nationally-ranked Georgia Southern and at home versus South Alabama.
• The Chanticleers are 1-1 all-time at Riverwalk Stadium in Montgomery, having split in Pool Play last season with a win over Little Rock and a loss to South Alabama.
• The Chants enter the tournament having won six out of their last seven games and eight of their last 10 contests.
• CCU has also won 16 of its last 20 games over the last month, which included winning 13 of its last 15 Sun Belt Conference games.
• Since being swept at home by Georgia State (April 8-10), the Chanticleers won 16 of 18 Sun Belt Conference games and 19 of its last 23 contests.
• Overall, the Chanticleers went 10-4 in weekday games, going 2-0 on Mondays, 5-1 on Tuesdays, and 2-0 on Thursdays. However, the Chants went just 1-3 overall on Wednesdays.
• On weekends, the Chants went 8-6 overall on Friday but were a dominant 11-2 on Saturdays throughout the season, while also going 7-5-1 overall on Sundays in 2022.
• The Chanticleers are 6-6 in 12 games versus top-30 nationally ranked teams with wins over then-No. 16 Central Michigan (Feb. 19), No. 30 Wake Forest (March 8), No. 20 Clemson (March 22), and one over No. 9 Texas State (March 26). CCU added two more wins on the road over then-No. 17 Georgia Southern (April 29 & 30).
• The six losses all came on the road by way of three to then-No. 21 North Carolina (March 4-6), two at No. 9 Texas State (March 25 & 27), and one at No. 17 Georgia Southern (May 1).
• The Chants lead the Sun Belt and rank third nationally in sacrifice flies (39). They also rank second in the league in walks (280), second in sacrifice bunts (44), second in on-base percentage (.403), second in runs scored (432), second in scoring (8.0), second in slugging percentage (.484), second in stolen bases (86), third in home runs (71), third in doubles (110), and fourth in batting average (.292).
• Over their last 10 games, CCU has hit .338 as a team with 17 home runs, a triple, 28 doubles, a .581 slugging percentage, and a .458 on-base percentage.
• The offense has scored 106 runs and drove in 95 RBIs over the 10-game stretch.
• CCU leads the Sun Belt in strikeout-to-walk ratio (2.56) and walks allowed per nine innings (3.57), while also ranking third in strikeouts (474).
• CCU's arms lead the Sun Belt in fewest walks (185) and are fourth in fewest earned runs allowed (246), strikeouts per nine innings (9.2), ERA (4.75), and saves (15).
• The pitching staff also ranks fifth in the Sun Belt in hits allowed per nine innings (8.83).
• Friday night starter Reid VanScoter (9-2, 3.06 ERA) leads the Sun Belt in wins (9). The left-handed pitcher also leads the Sun Belt in quality starts (8) and in fewest home runs allowed (2) this season, while also ranking second in the Sun Belt in innings pitched (82.1) and batters struck out looking (23).
• The third-year Chant also ranks fourth in the Sun Belt in strikeouts (80), fifth in both ERA (3.06) and WHIP (1.15), and is tied for sixth in the Sun Belt in fewest earned runs allowed (28).
• Coastal's Saturday guy Michael Knorr (5-0, 2.51 ERA) is 5-0 on the season with a 2.51 ERA in 11 starts. The senior right-handed hurler leads the Sun Belt in ERA (2.51), fewest runs allowed (21), fewest earned runs allowed (16), fewest walks allowed (9), and is tied for the Sun Belt lead in fewest hits allowed (46) on the season.
• He also leads the Sun Belt in strikeout-to-walk ratio (8.11), which ranks in the top 15 nationally, in strikeouts per nine innings (11.46), and in WHIP (0.96), while ranking second in the league in walks allowed per nine innings (1.41) and opposing batting average (.214), and fifth in total strikeouts (73).
• Sunday's starter Nick Parker (5-3, 4.91 ERA) is sixth in the conference in innings pitched with 77.0 and seventh in strikeouts with 71.
For complete coverage of CCU baseball, follow the Chants on social media @CoastalBaseball (Twitter), facebook.com/CCUChanticleers (Facebook), @GoCCUsports (Instagram), or visit the official home of Coastal Carolina Athletics at www.GoCCUsports.com.
HOW TO FOLLOW
• All of the Sun Belt Conference games will be video streamed live on ESPN+.• All of CCU's contests will also be carried live at HANK 105.5 FM OR WRNN Hot Talk 99.5 FM.
• Links to live stats, video, and audio coverage of the game can be found on the baseball schedule page at www.GoCCUsports.com.
• Fans can also follow along on Twitter at @CoastalBaseball.
FOUR CHANTS EARN SUN BELT CONFERENCE HONORS
• Headlining the conference award winners for the Chants was redshirt senior left-handed pitcher Reid VanScoter who was named the 2022 Sun Belt Conference Pitcher of the Year and also earned a spot on the All-Sun Belt first team.• Senior pitcher Michael Knorr, senior designated hitter Tyler Johnson, and junior third baseman Dale Thomas were all named to the All-Sun Belt second team.
SUN BELT TOURNAMENT TIME
• Coastal will be playing in its fifth Sun Belt Conference Championship Tournament this week having won the postseason championship event in both 2018 and 2019.• The Chanticleers are 10-3 all-time in Sun Belt Conference Tournament play and have not lost more than one game in any year. CCU was beaten by Texas State 7-5 in a single-elimination game in 2017 and then ran off five consecutive wins in 2019 after losing in the first round to UTA 9-8 in 10 innings.
• In last year's tournament, the Chanticleers went 1-1 in Pool Play with a 15-1 win in seven innings over Little Rock before falling to the eventual 2021 champions in South Alabama 14-7 in game two.
SUN BELT SUCCESS
• The Chanticleers immediately turned heads in the Sun Belt Conference in their first season in the league in 2017, going 22-7-1 in conference play to win both the Sun Belt Conference East Division and Sun Belt Conference Regular-Season championships.• Coastal went on to repeat in 2018 and added the Sun Belt Conference Tournament Championship title, posting a 23-7 regular-season conference record along the way.
• Despite slipping to 15-13 in conference play and finishing fifth in the regular-season standings in 2019, the Chanticleers ran through the Sun Belt Conference Tournament to repeat champions.
• After 2020 was canceled, the Chants had their worst conference season in over 25 years in 2021, finishing the conference regular-season slate at 9-12 overall.
• This year, CCU went 21-8-1 in Sun Belt Conference play, which included five Sun Belt Conference series sweeps over Arkansas State, Appalachian State, UTA, Little Rock, and Troy, as well as a road series win at then-nationally-ranked Georgia Southern and at home versus South Alabama.
NEUTRAL SITE NEWBIES
• Coastal will be playing its first neutral-site games of the season this week at the 2022 Guardian Credit Union Sun Belt Conference Baseball Championship Tournament in Montgomery, Ala.• The Chanticleers are 1-1 all-time at Riverwalk Stadium in Montgomery, having split in Pool Play last season with a win over Little Rock and a loss to South Alabama.
RIDING THE COASTAL WAVE
• Coastal has been riding a wave of momentum the last month, and it has come at the right time as the Chanticleers enter postseason play.• The Chants enter the tournament having won six out of their last seven games and eight of their last 10 contests.
• CCU has also won 16 of its last 20 games over the last month, which included winning 13 of its last 15 Sun Belt Conference games.
• Since being swept at home by Georgia State (April 8-10), the Chanticleers won 16 of 18 Sun Belt Conference games and 19 of its last 23 contests.
GET US TO THE WEEKEND
• CCU went 6-4 in midweek play this season, not including two Sun Belt Conference Thursday night games.• Overall, the Chanticleers went 10-4 in weekday games, going 2-0 on Mondays, 5-1 on Tuesdays, and 2-0 on Thursdays. However, the Chants went just 1-3 overall on Wednesdays.
• On weekends, the Chants went 8-6 overall on Friday but were a dominant 11-2 on Saturdays throughout the season, while also going 7-5-1 overall on Sundays in 2022.
VERSUS RANKED TEAMS THIS SEASON
• Coastal played six nationally-ranked teams throughout the regular season, including conference foes Texas State and Georgia Southern.• The Chanticleers are 6-6 in 12 games versus top-30 nationally ranked teams with wins over then-No. 16 Central Michigan (Feb. 19), No. 30 Wake Forest (March 8), No. 20 Clemson (March 22), and one over No. 9 Texas State (March 26). CCU added two more wins on the road over then-No. 17 Georgia Southern (April 29 & 30).
• The six losses all came on the road by way of three to then-No. 21 North Carolina (March 4-6), two at No. 9 Texas State (March 25 & 27), and one at No. 17 Georgia Southern (May 1).
COASTAL RISING IN THE SUN BELT
• Coastal's offense has continued to rise up the statistical rankings in the Sun Belt Conference and enters the 2022 Sun Belt Conference Baseball Championship Tournament ranked in the top-five in the conference in several offensive statistical categories.• The Chants lead the Sun Belt and rank third nationally in sacrifice flies (39). They also rank second in the league in walks (280), second in sacrifice bunts (44), second in on-base percentage (.403), second in runs scored (432), second in scoring (8.0), second in slugging percentage (.484), second in stolen bases (86), third in home runs (71), third in doubles (110), and fourth in batting average (.292).
THOSE CHANTS ARE ON FIRE
• The offense has been on fire the last few weeks, including over the last 10 games.• Over their last 10 games, CCU has hit .338 as a team with 17 home runs, a triple, 28 doubles, a .581 slugging percentage, and a .458 on-base percentage.
• The offense has scored 106 runs and drove in 95 RBIs over the 10-game stretch.
AMONG THE CONFERENCE'S BEST
• The Coastal Carolina pitching staff was among the leaders in several pitching statistical categories this season heading into the Sun Belt Conference Tournament this week.• CCU leads the Sun Belt in strikeout-to-walk ratio (2.56) and walks allowed per nine innings (3.57), while also ranking third in strikeouts (474).
• CCU's arms lead the Sun Belt in fewest walks (185) and are fourth in fewest earned runs allowed (246), strikeouts per nine innings (9.2), ERA (4.75), and saves (15).
• The pitching staff also ranks fifth in the Sun Belt in hits allowed per nine innings (8.83).
THREE-HEADED MONSTER
• Coastal's three weekend starters have been a vital part of the Chanticleers' success this season, particularly in Sun Belt Conference play.• Friday night starter Reid VanScoter (9-2, 3.06 ERA) leads the Sun Belt in wins (9). The left-handed pitcher also leads the Sun Belt in quality starts (8) and in fewest home runs allowed (2) this season, while also ranking second in the Sun Belt in innings pitched (82.1) and batters struck out looking (23).
• The third-year Chant also ranks fourth in the Sun Belt in strikeouts (80), fifth in both ERA (3.06) and WHIP (1.15), and is tied for sixth in the Sun Belt in fewest earned runs allowed (28).
• Coastal's Saturday guy Michael Knorr (5-0, 2.51 ERA) is 5-0 on the season with a 2.51 ERA in 11 starts. The senior right-handed hurler leads the Sun Belt in ERA (2.51), fewest runs allowed (21), fewest earned runs allowed (16), fewest walks allowed (9), and is tied for the Sun Belt lead in fewest hits allowed (46) on the season.
• He also leads the Sun Belt in strikeout-to-walk ratio (8.11), which ranks in the top 15 nationally, in strikeouts per nine innings (11.46), and in WHIP (0.96), while ranking second in the league in walks allowed per nine innings (1.41) and opposing batting average (.214), and fifth in total strikeouts (73).
• Sunday's starter Nick Parker (5-3, 4.91 ERA) is sixth in the conference in innings pitched with 77.0 and seventh in strikeouts with 71.
For complete coverage of CCU baseball, follow the Chants on social media @CoastalBaseball (Twitter), facebook.com/CCUChanticleers (Facebook), @GoCCUsports (Instagram), or visit the official home of Coastal Carolina Athletics at www.GoCCUsports.com.
Players Mentioned
OF/INF
/ Baseball
RHP
/ Baseball
RHP
/ Baseball
INF
/ Baseball
LHP
/ BaseballSaturday, May 30
Wednesday, April 01
Sunday, March 08
Sunday, March 08
