CHAMPIONSHIP TICKETS | CHAMPIONSHIP CENTRAL
MONTGOMERY, Ala. — Coastal Carolina prevailed in a clash of titans in the 2025 Sun Belt Conference Baseball Championship, presented by Troy University in Montgomery, Ala.
The No. 8-ranked Chanticleers added the tournament hardware to their regular-season trophy, snapping No. 12-ranked Southern Miss’ bid for the second-ever three-peat at the postseason event. The victory extended Coastal Carolina's winning streak to 18 games heading into NCAA Baseball Regionals and snapped Southern Miss' own 18-game winning streak that had been the second-longest active streak in the country.
Coastal Carolina’s tournament crown is their third all-time and first since back-to-back titles in 2018 and 2019.
CHAMPIONSHIP GAME – No. 1 seed Coastal Carolina def. No. 2 seed Southern Miss, 7-5
After a 1-2-3 top of the first, Coastal Carolina junior catcher Caden Bodine drew a leadoff walk to open the bottom half of the frame. He advanced to second on a single down the third base line by senior outfielder Sebastian Alexander and eventually came around to score on a ground out by junior second baseman Blake Barthol.
A solo shot to left off the bat of Southern Miss junior designated hitter Joey Urban knotted the game up at 1-1 in the top of the second. Coastal Carolina edged ahead again in the bottom half of the inning, as an infield single by senior outfielder Wells Sykes plated sophomore outfielder Blagen Pado—who had reached on a one-out double to left.
A leadoff home run that snuck just inside the foul pole for Golden Eagles junior outfielder Ben Higdon in the top of the fourth knotted the game up again at 2-2. The home run was the 96th of the season for Southern Miss, establishing a new single-season program record for the storied ball club. A single through the left side of the infield from junior second baseman Nick Monistere drove in sophomore catcher Tucker Stockman to give the Golden Eagles their first lead of the championship game, 3-2.
Hustle plays in the bottom of the fifth inning from the Chanticleers proved to be the difference in the title bout. Bodine legged out a double on a high-bouncing chopper over Monistere and came around to score on an errant throw trying to punch out the speedy Alexander on a sacrifice bunt attempt. Sophomore third baseman Walker Mitchell’s single through the left side scored Alexander, Barthol reached on a bunt single to the pitcher and freshman designated hitter Domenico Tozzi took a hit by pitch to load the bases for Coastal Carolina. Sophomore first baseman Colby Thorndyke beat the throw on an infield single up the middle to score Mitchell and Sykes drove in the final two runs on a single to left to make it 7-3.
Golden Eagles junior first baseman Matthew Russo wore a pitch with the bases loaded in the top of the sixth to get one back for Southern Miss, 7-4, but consecutive strikeouts swinging by senior outfielder Carson Paetow and Urban ended the threat.
Sun Belt Player of the Year second baseman Nick Monistere pulled the Golden Eagles within two, 7-5, with a solo blast to left in the top of the eighth, but Southern Miss would get no closer in its bid for a third-straight Sun Belt tournament crown.
Monistere’s home run was the 97th of the season for the Golden Eagles, a new single-season program record for the storied ballclub.
Junior right-handed pitcher Darin Horn earned the win for Coastal Carolina to improve to 5-1 on the year, while senior right-handed pitcher Ryan Lynch claimed the three-out save for the Chanticleers.
SBC ELITE AWARD
Matthew Adams, Southern Miss (Gr., RHP – Pearland, Texas)
MOST OUTSTANDING PLAYER
Caden Bodine, Coastal Carolina (Jr., C – Haddon Height, N.J.)
ALL-TOURNAMENT TEAM
Blake Barthol, Coastal Carolina (Jr., 2B – Allentown, Pa.)
Cameron Flukey, Coastal Carolina (So., RHP – Egg Harbor, N.J.)
Wells Sykes, Coastal Carolina (Sr., OF – Gilbert, S.C.)
Juju Stevens, Georgia Southern (RS Jr., OF – Durham, N.C.)
Luke Yuhasz, Louisiana (Jr., OF – Moss Bluff, La.)
Jackson Halter, Marshall (Sr., OF – Texarkana, Texas)
Eddie Leon, Marshall (Sr., 3B – Miami, Fla.)
Maika Niu, Marshall (Jr., SS – Mechanicsburg, Pa.)
Matthew Adams, Southern Miss (Gr., RHP – Pearland, Texas)
Nick Monistere, Southern Miss (Jr., 2B – Brandon, Miss.)
Ozzie Pratt, Southern Miss (Sr., SS – Alesville, Miss.)
Bryson Dudley, Texas State (Jr., RHP – Round Rock, Texas)
Grayson Stewart, Troy (Sr., RHP – Dothan, Ala.)