Gary Gilmore, Coastal Carolina Chanticleers

The time has come and Coastal Carolina Chanticleers baseball. Like everyone else across the country this weekend, head coach Gary Gilmore’s team is ready to officially start the 2018 season. The Chanticleers will open the campaign Feb. 16-19 by hosting Indiana, Oklahoma, South Alabama, Kansas State and Virginia Tech in the 18th annual Brittain Resorts Baseball at the Beach.

Coastal’s preseason All-American Kevin Woodall Jr., headlines a veteran group of returning starters. The senior first baseman was a first team All-Sun Belt pick last season after leading the league in both home runs and RBIs. Also back are infielders Cory Wood (the 2017 Sun Belt Freshman of the Year who moves from left field to second base), Matt Beaird (catcher) and Seth Lancaster (third base) along with outfielders Kieton Rivers (.291 in 31 starts last season) and Cameron Pearcey (makes the move to center field after missing all but 13 games in 2017 due to injury). The pitching rotation returns starters Zack Hopeck, Jason Bilous and Anthony Veneziano.

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However, the Coastal Carolina Chanticleers will be without its top two returning pitchers. Senior Bobby Holmes will sit out the 2018 season after having Tommy John surgery in June 2017. Also, junior relief pitcher Austin Kitchen, a lefthander who led the team in appearances last season, suffered a season-ending knee injury during a pre-season workout.

“Obviously, we are all excited to get back on the field as an entire unit,” said head coach Gary Gilmore. “There has been a lot of positive things to this point. In particular, it’s been enjoyable to watch some of our key returners, specifically Woodall, Beaird, Rivers and Wood, embrace the role as leaders on this club. Also, even though Holmes is out, he is showing great leadership as well. There are a lot of new faces and how they progress will be instrumental in our success.

“Like every season, we still have to figure out where all the parts will fit to give ourselves the best chance to succeed,” Gilmore continued. “We are very excited about the talented group of young arms, who will get thrown in the fire immediately (against) one of the best schedules in the country.”