Two former Lexington County players got to play on college baseball’s biggest stage last weekend.

Walker Mitchell and Wells Sykes are both part of the Coastal Carolina team that advanced to the 2025 College World Series Championship.

Mitchell is a former two-time All-State selection and state champion with River Bluff. Sykes is also a former All-State player, spending his high school days at Lexington and Gilbert. He started his career at the Cita-del before transferring to Coastal for his final year of eligibility.

The Lexington County natives were key to the Chanticleers’ run.

Coastal Carolina entered the national- al championship series on a 26-game winning streak. The team lost for the first time since April after being swept by LSU, ending its season as national runner-up.

While it ended in disappointment, the Chanticleers’ win streak and path to the championship was one of the biggest stories in Omaha. Prior to this season, the longest winning streak entering the best-of-three championship was 13 games, held by LSU.

“I’m giving it everything I got for this team,” Sykes said after the team’s CWS win against Arizona on June 13. “We’re on a crazy win streak, we’re really consistent.”

Mitchell and Sykes were steady con- contributors to Coastal’s lineup all season. Both players appeared in 65 of 69 of the team’s games this season. Mitchell has over 200 at-bats, and Sykes is just under that. The pair played in all five of the team’s games in Omaha.

“[Sykes] had some massive hits this postseason,” Coastal coach
Kevin Schnall said. “I’m really proud of him because he’s really worked hard, and he’s bought into the Coastal way.”

Sykes entered the season as one of the team’s most experienced players. He is one of seven seniors and was coming off a career-best year at the Citadel.

“He’s [one of] the only guys in our lineup that was a Division I 0.300 hitter before coming into this year,” Schnall said. “This guy’s got guts. He’s great under tension and stress. He lives for those moments.”

Sykes finished this season hitting 0.291 with 55 hits and 39 RBIs. He also crossed home plate 38 times, including four off home runs.

This was Mitchell’s first season seeing significant action. Last year, his freshman season, Mitchell made nine appearances with 11 at-bats. In his 65 appearances this year, Mitchell has 55 hits, 45 RBIs, 49 runs scored and four home runs.

Sykes and Mitchell remained in the lineup for the entirety of the College World Series. Each player had their moments but also had their share of struggles against the nation’s other top teams.

Mitchell went hitless in four of the five games, but he still found ways to reach base by drawing walks. His best game came against Louisville. He recorded a hit, two RBIs, two runs and two walks.

Sykes was a bit more consistent with hits in three of the games. His best outing came when the team’s back was against the wall during game two of the championship against LSU. The senior ended his college career with two hits, two RBIs and a home run.

While Mitchell has the opportunity to return and make another run at a national championship, for Sykes, this was it. His final collegiate season will be memorable for many reasons, including the unfortunate end.

“This is something that not just me, but this entire team will remember for the rest of our lives,” an emotional Sykes said after the second loss to LSU. “These are my brothers and I love everybody in that locker room.”