Catchers Caught Stealing The Show Game One in Omaha

Coastal Carolina Catcher Caden Bodine entered the College World Series with a .332 batting average, slugging five homers and driving in 41 runs on the year.  The Junior from Haddon Heights, NJ has spent the entirety of his three year career as a Chanticleer, starting 177 games, tallying 159 career RBIs in the process. Bodine’s impact is measured in far more than offensive statistics, though, and it was felt in Omaha on Friday afternoon.

In the first inning of Riley Eickhoff’s start, Coastal Carolina felt immediate pressure via a single off the bat of Wildcat star Brayden Summerhill, the Wildcat Junior oozing in Major League potential.  Summerhill swiped eleven bases on eighteen attempts in 2025, good for the second most in Chip Hale’s lineup.  The potential and earned respect of Summerhill didn’t phase Bodine as his rocket to second base nabbed the Wildcat leadoff man to end the first inning threat.  

In the sixth,  Bodine’s RBI groundout knotted the game at four.  Famously advertised, Bodine’s ability to frame would-be balls for called strikes proved to be significant for the team on a now, 24-game win streak.  Of Bodine’s ability to nab strikes, Arizona Head Coach Chip Hale said “When you see guys doing that, I'm just shocked that umpires call strikes when they move the ball that much but they get them. Everybody, all the old guys get upset with the one-knee catchers. And this and that there's a reason why we do it. And I tell guys, there's a reason why -- they're stealing strikes. He does a beautiful job of it..  

Not to be outdone by his defense, Bodine immediately returned a leadoff favor of his own for a single.  Chanticleer Head Coach Kevin Schanll gushed,  “He's the best back stop in the entire country, hands down, non-negotiable. And we're really lucky to have that guy on our team the last three years.”  Hale shared a similar sentiment when speaking of the Chanticleer backstop, “Bodine was fantastic, one of the best players in the country. I was really impressed.”

As Bodine’s collegiate career reaches its likely conclusion when the Chanticleers either dogpile or face elimination in Omaha, his coach shares confidence in his future behind the dish “that guy is going to play in the Major Leagues.”  

Schnall will look to relish Bodine’s remaining time in teal, however, “And like I've said since January, I'm just upset it's only got one more year to watch it. Now I look at it. We only have a couple more weeks to watch it.”

Sharing responsibilities behind the dish, Bodine’s Chanticleers competed against Arizona catcher Adonys Guzman on Friday.  While Bodine proved to be victorious, it was Guzman who paced the Wildcats in hits.  Guzman and Coastal Carolina’s Blake Barthol led the contest in hits, each tallying three.  

Regarding his approach against Eickhoff, Guzman felt confident against his competition. “I knew he likes his heater. Has a little bit of sink. So I was just trying to see his heater, put a ball in play hard.  

Guzman drew attention in the sixth inning when his surprise bunt single loaded the bases for the Wildcats.  “Going into that at-bat, the had a mound visit so we took a timeout. I knew I was going to bunt. Got to 2-0, gave me a green light, swing away. I didn't like it. And they said bunt. He had a little ride, throws hard. I was trying to get on top of it. Thankfully I squeezed it past the defenders.”  Arizona would go on to take the lead in the frame.  

Guzman and Bodine will again take their spots behind the dish at Charles Schwab Field in Omaha, while Bodine will look to extend his team’s flashy win streak, Guzman will look to extend his team’s season.  Hale holds hope for the Wildcats’ ability to do just that, “They've done it all year. We've lost Fridays and won the series. It's going to be tougher. This is that four-team deal. So it's not just like winning two more games. We're going to have to win a bunch of games…They keep fighting. They're not going to stop fighting.”