Title brings a bit of closure for Chanticleers

OMAHA, Neb. — Until this week, Gary Gilmore didn’t know if he would have as good a Coastal Carolina team as he did in 2010. That 55-win team was the No. 4 national seed for the NCAA tournament but lost a pair of one-run games to South Carolina in the super regionals.

For six years, Gilmore was dogged by memories of watching the Gamecocks celebrate on his home field before they went on to win the first of two consecutive national championships.

“Losing in 2010 was the hardest gut-wrenching loss of my life,” he said.

On Thursday, Gilmore was holding the championship trophy. He and his Chanticleers won their school’s first national title in any sport, validation for a baseball program that ranks eighth in wins since 2000 but until this year couldn’t break through to make the College World Series.

Their 4-3 victory against Arizona in the deciding Game 3 of the finals was their 41st in 50 games and gave them a nation-leading 54 wins against 18 losses.

Although Gilmore liked this team coming into the season, he didn’t necessarily see a national championship coming.

“I didn’t think we were where we were in just sheer talent in 2010,” Gilmore said, “but I thought we were probably the second most talented team I had coached at Coastal Carolina at that point in time.”

The 2010 team had five players who were drafted in the first 10 rounds, five others who were drafted and a free agent who made it to the major leagues.

This year, only shortstop Michael Paez and third baseman Zach Remillard were taken in the first 10 rounds, and four others were selected between the 27th and 34th rounds.

“Our motto has been ‘selfless and relentless’ for the last two years. It’s on the carpet in our locker room,” pitcher Alex Cunningham said. “Coach Gilmore, he’s literally the epitome of that. He embodies it in everything he does.”