Updated August 02 2017
The Fayetteville SwampDogs (31-21) busted out of a three game losing streak with authority crushing the Wilmington Sharks (29-21) in an offensive outburst 16-8.
Jayson Newman (Cal State Northridge) continues to swing the hottest bat in all of college summer league baseball, driving a two-run home run to opposite field to put the SwampDogs ahead 2-0.
The Sharks would get one back in the fourth, but SwampDogs starter Josh Hejka (Johns Hopkins) would deliver 5.2 solid innings allowing 4 earned runs on 9 hits to improve to (1-0).
The SwampDogs would ensure that their new starting pitcher would cruise to a comfortable victory thanks to multiple runs in every inning beginning with the 5th.
Fayetteville would start their quest for 16 runs with a 2-run 5th inning as Jose Rojas (Miami Dade) drove a double down the left field line to score Mike Farnell (Murray State) and put the SwampDogs ahead 4-2. The SwampDogs would add one more as Andrew Henrickson (East Carolina) grounded out to score Rojas from third.
The 6th inning would prove equally fruitful for the SwampDogs following the Sharks two run 5th. Justin Hawkins (Clemson) doubled to right center to score Jonathan Allen (San Francisco) followed by a wild pitch later in the inning from Wilmington’s Colt Springs (Presbyterian) that scored Hawkins and put the SwampDogs ahead 7-4.
An emphatic 7th inning put Fayetteville ahead for good with three home runs in the inning. Matt Morrow blasted a two-run shot over the right field wall for his third home run of the season. Jayson Neman followed up Morrow’s dong with his second homer of the night this time over the left field wall to run his season total up to 9 dingers. Justin Hawkins would tack on another solo shot in the 7th, his 10th of the year to put the SwampDogs ahead 11-4.
Wilmington would try and mount a late rally but their four 8th inning runs would not be enough as Fayetteville tacked on 5 more runs in the final two innings.
Hejka improved to (1-0) while Breydan Gorham (UNC-Wilmington) was tagged for just his second loss of the year dropping the righty to (6-2).
The SwampDogs return to the Swamp on Saturday, August 5 for the final fireworks game of the season on Fan Appreciation Night presented by Cape Fear Orthopedics against the Holly Springs Salamanders. The gates will open at 6 with first pitch at 7:05. For all your SwampDogs news and updates please visit GoSwampDogs.com and follow us on Twitter @GoSwampDogs. The SwampDogs season is presented by Fayetteville Kia.
The Coastal Plain League is the nation’s premier summer collegiate baseball league. Celebrating its 21st season in 2017, the CPL features 15 teams playing in Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina and Virginia. The CPL has had over 1,400 alumni drafted and 98 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 Twitter @CPLBaseball.
Leo Blavin
Phone:(910)-426-5900