Wheeler gets nod

MYRTLE BEACH | Junior Cody Wheeler will take the mound for Coastal Carolina against Stony Brook in the opening game of the NCAA Myrtle Beach Regional.

Chanticleers coach Gary Gilmore named Wheeler as his starter Wednesday, a day after the Seawolves announced that ace Nick Tropeano will start their opener. Gilmore did not name a starter for Saturday’s game, but his choice to use Wheeler in the opener makes it that much more likely that ace Anthony Meo will start Coastal’s second game.

If the Chants win Friday, it makes sense to use Meo in Saturday’s winner’s bracket championship. If they were upset in the opener, it’s hard to imagine Gilmore starting freshman Josh Conway and risking elimination without ever using his best arm in game No. 3.

Conway and Austin Fleet would be starting options on Sunday and/or Monday. Wheeler could potentially pitch again on one of those days if he doesn’t tax his arm on Friday.

Though it would have been the dream scenario to start and win with Conway in the opener, Gilmore ultimately decided that saving his No. 2 starter wasn’t worth the risk of immediately falling into the loser’s bracket.

“Their guy has some of the best numbers in the country, so we’re going to have to play a great game and compete,” Gilmore said. “When you’ve got a great guy like that on the mound, it elevates your play. I’m sure they’ll play extremely well behind him.

“It would be different if you didn’t have a dominant No. 1-type guy. His numbers are Meo-ish or better, so we’ve got our work cut out for us.”

Wheeler doesn't have great postseason numbers, but he said this week that he is motivated to put those struggles behind him. His rock-solid confidence was boosted even more by the coaching staff's decision to give him the ball in the opener.

"I was pretty excited," he said. "It just happened to work out that Stony Brook has a very good Friday night guy, so we couldn't take any chances. We're going to have to give them a good game, because they are going to give us one."

Chanticleers coach Gary Gilmore named Wheeler as his starter Wednesday, a day after the Seawolves announced that ace Nick Tropeano will start their opener. Gilmore did not name a starter for Saturday’s game, but his choice to use Wheeler in the opener makes it that much more likely that ace Anthony Meo will start Coastal’s second game.

If the Chants win Friday, it makes sense to use Meo in Saturday’s winner’s bracket championship. If they were upset in the opener, it’s hard to imagine Gilmore starting freshman Josh Conway and risking elimination without ever using his best arm in game No. 3.

Conway and Austin Fleet would be starting options on Sunday and/or Monday. Wheeler could potentially pitch again on one of those days if he doesn’t tax his arm on Friday.

Though it would have been the dream scenario to start and win with Conway in the opener, Gilmore ultimately decided that saving his No. 2 starter wasn’t worth the risk of immediately falling into the loser’s bracket.

“Their guy has some of the best numbers in the country, so we’re going to have to play a great game and compete,” Gilmore said. “When you’ve got a great guy like that on the mound, it elevates your play. I’m sure they’ll play extremely well behind him.

“It would be different if you didn’t have a dominant No. 1-type guy. His numbers are Meo-ish or better, so we’ve got our work cut out for us.”

Wheeler doesn't have great postseason numbers, but he said this week that he is motivated to put those struggles behind him. His rock-solid confidence was boosted even more by the coaching staff's decision to give him the ball in the opener.

"I was pretty excited," he said. "It just happened to work out that Stony Brook has a very good Friday night guy, so we couldn't take any chances. We're going to have to give them a good game, because they are going to give us one."