Updated July 22 2017
The Morehead City Marlins offense put on a record-setting performance with a season-high 17 runs on 18 hits in the host Marlins 17-10 victory over the visiting Wilson Tobs from Puck O’Neal at Big Rock Stadium Saturday evening. MHC catcher Kyle Skeels (Coastal Carolina) posted a monster night at the plate, finishing 4-for-4 with a team record eight total RBIs in the contest and three runs scored. Skeels had a pair of two-run homers, a two-RBI double, RBI walk and run-scoring single.
Morehead City notches its third consecutive win, improving to 19-21 overall and 6-6 in the second half of the season. Wilson is now 13-28 overall and 4-9 in the second half of the 2017 campaign. The Marlins have an off-day tomorrow before returning to action Monday night, hosting the Wilmington Sharks for a 7:05 p.m. start.
Marlins center fielder Sammy Miller (Longwood) supported Skeels’ efforts going 3-for-5 with three runs scored and a RBI. Left fielder Derek Olenchuk (Newberry) went 3-for-4 with two RBIs to contribute to the offensive fireworks. Tobs center fielder CJ Ballard (Georgia Southern) led the Wilson bats finishing 2-for-5 with a team-high three RBIs, while third baseman Jake Holtzapple (North Carolina) drove in two runs with an identical 2-for-5 mark.
A two-run shot from Skeels in the bottom of the second inning put the Marlins ahead 2-0 and never looked back. Wilson cut the deficit in half with a RBI from Holtzapple to make it a 2-1 game in the top half of the fourth inning.
Morehead City quickly answered with three runs in the bottom frame beginning with a RBI walk from Skeels followed by a run-scoring single from Olenchuk to extend the Marlins lead out to 4-1. A sacrifice fly from Nick Podkul (Notre Dame) pushed the advantage out to 5-1.
An additional four runs followed in the bottom half of the fifth inning to extend the Marlins lead out to a commanding 9-1 mark. The scoring flurry was highlighted by a two-RBI double from Skeels and RBI double by Olenchuk.
Leading 10-3 entering the seven-inning stretch, the Marlins opened the offensive floodgates with a seven total runs in the bottom frame of the seventh to stretch their advantage out to 17-3. Miller, Jackson Ware (Mercer), Will Matthiessen (Stanford), Olenchuk and Skeels each contributed a RBI single in the frame, along with the second two-run shot of the contest from Skeels.
The Tobs scored seven unanswered runs in the top of the eighth and ninth innings to trim the margin down to 17-10, but Marlins right-hander Charlie King (Davidson) secured the win in relief.
Morehead City starting pitcher Nolan Clenney (NC State) got the win, improving to 1-0. Wilson starter Brett Morrison (Lock Haven) took the loss, falling to 0-2. Clenney posted a strong effort on the mound, tossing five innings with earned run allowed on five hits and 10 strikeouts.
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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