Wake Forest Baseball Looks to Tame Coastal Carolina in Conway

Wake Forest’s midweek games haven’t been all that exciting through the first month of the college baseball season. Battles with the likes of High Point and Appalachian State don’t exactly excite the senses as much as a typical weekend series. Additionally, it takes a special kind of midweek game to energize the masses. Luckily for the Wake Forest faithful, it appears that exact sort of matchup is right on the horizon.

The Demon Deacons are 15-1 and are right off the heels of a three-game sweep of the Stanford Cardinal in the ACC opener. Before conference play can commence once again, Wake Forest must take the short trip down to Conway, South Carolina, to face the reigning national runners-up: the Coastal Carolina Chanticleers.

Coastal Carolina (9-6) has been the definition of success over the years. It won an improbable and spectacular national title in 2016 and has remained relevant ever since. It rode some of the best pitching in college baseball to Omaha last season, with the campaign ultimately ending at the hands of LSU. After that amazing run, it was expected that Coastal Carolina would be right in the mix once again this season. So far, 2026 has produced mixed results — thanks in part to some unfortunate injuries on the pitching side — though this Chanticleers squad is still not to be trifled with. There’s plenty of talent both in the lineup and on the mound that Wake Forest will need to look out for in what should be one of the most tantalizing games of the young season thus far.

Coastal Carolina Pitching Will Lead the Way Against Wake Forest

Pitching and Coastal Carolina go hand in hand, though injuries have hampered what would otherwise have been one of the most potent staffs in all of college baseball. Still, there’s plenty to like for the Chanticleers on the bump, with probable midweek starter Case Bosch being one of them.

Bosch, a left-handed freshman from Michigan, has started the last two midweek clashes for Coastal Carolina against Campbell and NC State. He went just two innings in the game versus Campbell on February 24, allowing just two hits and no runs and striking out two along the way. He improved on that mark against NC State on March 3, going 4 2/3 innings and allowing just one run on five hits. Overall, he has a 2.45 ERA over five appearances and 14 2/3 innings of work. Wake Forest will certainly have its hands full should he get the nod on the hill for Coastal Carolina.

Jun 15, 2025; Omaha, Neb, USA; Coastal Carolina Chanticleers infielder Dean Mihos (8) scores against the Oregon State Beavers during the fourth inning at Charles Schwab Field. Mandatory Credit: Steven Branscombe-Imagn Images | Steven Branscombe-Imagn Images

The Chanticleers’ offense is led by Dean Mihos and Trace Mazon. Mihos’ .400/.486/.567 slash line jumps off the page, while Mazon’s 14 RBIs lead the team. It’s those two players who will most likely decide if Coastal Carolina’s offense, which ranks near the bottom of the Sun Belt, succeeds versus the Demon Deacons.

Opposing those two powerhouse bats will be Cameron Bagwell. The sophomore transfer from UNC Wilmington has had a fine season so far, though his most recent start against Appalachian State was less than stellar. Nonetheless, he’s been just the man that Wake Forest has needed during midweek contests, and his 3.77 ERA should (hopefully) be more than enough to stymie a Coastal Carolina lineup that has struggled to maintain consistency in the early goings of the 2026 season.

Wake Forest Looks to Extend Winning Streak in Conway

Wake Forest and Coastal Carolina have a deep baseball history. The two schools have matched up 51 times over the years, with the latest contest resulting in a 16-5 Demon Deacons triumph in 2025. Should Wake Forest pull off the victory, it will be the first time the team has won back-to-back games in Conway since the 2007-08 seasons.

First pitch is scheduled for 6 p.m. ET at Spring Brooks Stadium in Conway, South Carolina. The game will be televised on ESPN+.