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OMAHA, Neb. — Mason White heard the call from the home plate umpire and made sure everyone knew.

As part of an epic at-bat in the sixth inning, White fouled off six pitches before getting hit by a pitch. In the midst of his at-bat, Coastal Carolina pitcher Cameron Flukey was also tagged with a balk call that advanced Wildcat Aaron Walton.

“I heard the home plate umpire scream balk,� White said after Arizona’s 7-4 loss to the Chanticleers. “I wanted to make sure.�

The Wildcats scored two runs — briefly taking a 4-3 lead — in an inning where the ball never left the infield. Flukey hit Walton and White to start the inning. Then, catcher Adonys Guzman hit a bunt single to the left side the field, advancing Walton and White and loading the bases. Maddox Mihalakis became the third Wildcat to get hit in the inning, scoring Walton from third.

From there, Arizona logged three outs in a row. One of those — a fielder’s choice groundout by Garen Caulfield — resulted in White scoring. A strikeout and a groundout later, the Wildcats had scored two total runs, but had the chance for more.

“It was a good inning,� White said. “I wish we could have capitalized more. We left some guys out there.�

Chanticleers burn key arms

Coastal Carolina’s Friday win at the College World Series didn’t come cheaply.

Two pitchers in their starting rotation, Cameron Flukey and Riley Eikhoff, threw four innings apiece. The duo have a 2.98 and 3.29 earned-run average respectively. Eikhoff started the game, allowing six hits and two runs, while Flukey came on in relief, allowing two hits and two runs while hitting three batters in the sixth inning.

“The strategy was Cameron Flukey is as good as a right-handed pitcher as there is in the entire country,� CCU coach Kevin Schnall said. “To have Eikhoff lead it off, and he's more of a sinker/slider guy and Flukey is more of a ride guy, gives you two different looks, and ultimately it worked out today.�

Eickhoff said he didn’t go as far as he wanted to but hopes that pitching coach Matt Williams calls his number again.

Schnall said that’s likely.

“He's as efficient as anybody in the country, four innings, 45 pitches,� Schnall said. “So Eikhoff absolutely will be able to bounce back quick.�

Catcher Cameron Bodine said the two are “high in recovery� and are always looking for ways to keep their arms in top shape.

Coastal still has an ace in the hole

The Chanticleers didn’t use their ace, Jacob Morrison. Morrison, 11-0, has a 2.15 earned-run average in 96.1 innings of work this season. He’ll start on Sunday in the winner’s bracket game.

Bodine said that Coastal is confident with him on the hill.

“We’ve got our dog on the mound coming on Sunday,� Bodine said. “He’s gonna do what he does.�

Arizona’s ninth-inning rally

Despite the loss to Coastal Carolina, Wildcats first basemen Tommy Splaine thinks they put together a good overall effort. Splaine had two hits, including a double and Arizona had nine hits as a team. He also noted the efforts of reliever Garrett Hicks. Hicks gave up three earned runs in 1.1 innings of work and registered the loss.

“I think we just competed,� Splaine said. “We put together some good at-bats and our pitchers were hitting their margins and throwing strikes, and especially Hicksy coming in at the end, and the big position, he kept us in it.�

Arizona coach Chip Hale agreed, applauding his team for battling back from an early deficit.

“I was very proud of them in the ninth,� Hale said of the Wildcats’ ability to bring the tying run to the plate while trailing 7-4. Arizona chose to use Dom Rodriguez as a pinch hitter. “He had a tough at-bat. And Brendan (Summerhill) hit the ball — a few feet the other way it's a base hit we keep it going. They keep fighting. They're not going to stop fighting.�