CONWAY, S.C. – The nationally-ranked No. 16 Coastal Carolina Chanticleers will open Sun Belt Conference play this Friday-Sunday, March 15-17, in a three-game series with the James Madison Dukes. The first pitch is scheduled for 6 p.m. ET on March 15, 2 p.m. ET on March 16, and 1 p.m. ET on March 17.
 
ROTATION
Friday, March 15
6 p.m. ET – CCU - RHP Alexander Meckley (2-0, 3.05 ERA) vs. JMU – LHP Jaden Kinsler (3-0, 3.00 ERA)
 
Saturday, March 16
2 p.m. ET – CCU - RHP Riley Eikhoff (1-0, 9.19 ERA) vs. JMU – LHP Max Kuhle (1-1, 4.60 ERA)
 
Sunday, March 17
1 p.m. ET – CCU – LHP Henry Weycker (1-0, 1.54 ERA) vs. JMU – TBD
 
ABOUT THE CHANTS
• Coastal Carolina enters the week 15-2 on the season and having won 14 straight contests, the longest winning streak since 2010.
• The Chants defense has turned 22 double plays on the year, the most in the NCAA.
• Coastal has scored at least 10 runs in each of its last three games, including 17 in a win over No. 7 Wake Forest on Tuesday.
• CCU has outscored their opponents in the last five games 64-30, with 15 home runs and 11 doubles, including six home runs by Blake Barthol.
• Coastal has hit 37 home runs on the year as a team. Barthol leads the team, the Sun Belt, and is third in the NCAA with 10 home runs with Zack Beach second the team and the Sun Belt with seven bombs.
• Derek Bender has reached base safely once in the 16 games he has played, including a current six-game hitting streak.
• Sam Antonacci has reached base via hit or walk in every game this season, while Barthol extended his streak of consecutive games reaching base to 15.
• Beach and Jake Books have a 14-game streak of reaching base safely, which includes the duo combing to hit 10 home runs in that span.
 
ABOUT THE DUKES
 • The Dukes enter play with an 12-5 overall record, having split a two-game midweek series with Niagara.
• James Madison was picked to finish 10th in the Sun Belt preseason coaches poll.
• The JMU pitching staff has allowed 13 home runs and has struck out 120 opposing batters and issued 80 free bases. Batters are hitting just .298 against the Dukes.
• JMU's Jaden Kinsler and Joe Vogatsky anchor the pitching staff with 3-0 records. Kinsler has thrown 15.0 innings, allowing five runs on 10 hits with 14 strikeouts. Vogatsky has alllowed four runs on nine hits with 13 strikeouts.
• James Madison is hitting .311 and have belted 23 home runs, four triples, and 30 doubles for 116 RBIs.
 
ALL-TIME SERIES HISTORY WITH JAMES MADISON
• The Chanticleers lead the overall series 11-7 on the diamond, with Coastal winning the 2023 series 2-1 on the road.
• The longest winning streak was four games by CCU from February 2010 to February 2013.
• The Chants and Deacons first met in Conway, S.C., in March 1992 in a three-game series that JMU won 2-1.
• The Dukes last won in Conway on February 19, 2017 by score of 11-3.
 
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.