Updated July 14 2017
Morehead City Marlins center fielder Alec Wilson (Stanford) tallied a season-high 3-for-4 performance at the plate with three RBIs; however, the Marlins late ninth inning rally fell short in a 9-7 defeat to the host Wilmington Sharks from Buck Hardee Field at Legion Stadium Friday evening. MHC trailed by a pair of runs with the bases loaded in the top of the ninth, but came one play short of a potential game-tying hit.
Morehead City is now 15-19 overall and 2-4 in the second half of the season. Wilmington improves to 19-19 overall and 6-4 in the second half of the 2017 campaign. The Marlins return home to Puck O’Neal Field at Big Rock Stadium tomorrow night, hosting the Wilson Tobs for a 7:05 p.m. start. Listen to all the play-by-play action on the CPL Webpass with pre-game coverage beginning at 6:55 p.m.
MHC right fielder Jackson Ware (Mercer) supported Wilson’s efforts, finishing 3-for-4 with two runs scored and a RBI. Shortstop Nick Podkul (Notre Dame) went 2-for-5 with a pair of RBIs, while second baseman Steven Taylor (Mercer) posted an identical 2-for-5 mark with two runs scored and a run driven in.
For Wilmington, catcher Brian Parreira (USC Aiken) led the Shark bats going 3-for-4 at the dish with one run scored and a RBI. Center fielder Justin Dean (Lenoir-Rhyne) and shortstop Luke Morgan (College of Charleston) each went 2-for-3 with a RBI, while Dean scored a pair of runs in the contest.
Wilmington struck first in the bottom of the first inning on a sacrifice fly from Morgan to give the hosts an early 1-0 advantage. The Marlins soon tied the score on a RBI double from Wilson to make it a 1-1 contest in the top half of the third inning.
The Sharks quickly jumped out to a 3-1 lead in the bottom frame of the third with a pair of runs before Morehead City grabbed the 4-3 advantage with three runs in the top of the fourth inning. The scoring flurry was highlighed by RBI singles from Taylor and Wilson to trim the deficit down to one run.
One frame later, Wilmington posted the game-winning rally in the bottom half of the fourth to grab the 7-4 lead with four unanswered runs led by RBIs from Dean and Michael Sandle (South Alabama). The Marlins were held scoreless until the visitors tallied three unanswered scores in the top of the eighth and ninth innings.
Trailing 9-4 entering the visiting half of the eighth, Podkul drilled a two-RBI single into left field to trim the deficit down to 9-6. Wilson ripped his second RBI double of the game to cut the margin down to 9-7 before the Marlins left the bases loaded to end the contest, falling short of another epic comeback for the second consecutive game.
Wilmington starting right-handed pitcher Noah Michael (South Alabama) got the win, improving to 3-1. Morehead City starting lefty Heath Mitchem (Catawba) took the loss, falling to 2-3. Marlins righty Cody Boydstun (Longwood) posted another strong outing in relief, tossing two innings with no earned runs allowed on two hits and three strikeouts.
The Marlins have consecutive off-days on Sunday (7/16) and Monday (7/17) before traveling to Historic Hicks Field in Edenton Tuesday evening (7/18) to face the Steamers to finish the suspended game from July 2. Marlins will lead 3-2 entering the top of the fifth inning with first pitch at 7:05 p.m.
The Coastal Plain League is the nation’s premier summer collegiate baseball league. Celebrating its 22nd season in 2018, the CPL features 16 teams playing in Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina and Virginia. The CPL has had over 1,450 alumni drafted and 111 of those – including 2011 AL MVP and Cy Young winner Justin Verlander – make their Major League debut; while another notable alum – Russell Wilson – won Super Bowl XLVIII. For more information on the Coastal Plain League, please visit the league website at www.coastalplain.com and follow us via Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Snapchat @CPLBaseball..Contact:Jackson Kaplan
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