Updated July 31 2017
Hits were hard to come by for the Tobs on Monday night, as the Morehead City Marlins won the ballgame 10-2 at Puck O’Neal Field at Big Rock Stadium.
The Tobs managed just five hits for the game, and the only extra base hit came from Dawnoven Smith (NC A&T). The right fielder hit his sixth home run of the season in the top of the ninth inning, a two-run shot that got the Tobs on the board to avoid the shutout.
Morehead City starter Heath Mitchem (Catawba) pitched a gem of a ballgame. The left-hander went all nine innings, allowing two runs on five hits, losing his shutout with just one out left to get. Mitchem struck out four and walked four, and earned the win to go to 3-4 on the season.
Cody Smith (Chowan) got the start for the Tobs. The left hander went 5.2 innings, allowing four runs (three earned) on six hits, striking out six and walking six. Smith took the loss for the Tobs, falling to 1-6 on the season.
KJ McAllister (NC A&T) came in following Smith, with the bases loaded and 2 outs in the sixth, and there was no shortage of drama. After walking one man and hitting another, Will Matthiessen (Stanford) was the hitter for the Marlins. After hitting a long fly ball down the left field line that cleared the wall above the foul pole, home plate Nobu Goto called the long shot a foul ball. After Morehead City was irate at the call, McAllister went on to strike out Matthiessen to end the inning, pumping his fist in the process.
When McAllister came back out for the seventh, his first pitch of the inning went behind third baseman Daulton Weeks (USC Aiken). Morehead City felt the pitch had intent behind it, and both teams leaked out onto the field after Weeks took a few steps toward the mound. Cooler heads would prevail, but later in the inning the flame was re-ignited.
Three batters after Weeks, McAllister plunked Morehead City catcher Mark Castellucci (Montevallo) with a fastball, and he was ejected from the game by home plate umpire Nobu Goto. No other ejections would come from the game.
Finally, Jeff Thompson (Belmont Abbey) came in to pitch for the Tobs following the ejection of McAllister. the left-hander allowed three runs (two earned) over 1.2 innings, striking out two and walking three.
Tobs pitching walked 11 Marlins and hit three others, as Morehead City ended the game scoring 10 runs, but only doing so on nine hits, leaving 13 men on base.
The Tobs fell to 7-15 in the CPL second half with the loss and 16-34 overall on the season.
The Tobs are back in action tomorrow, August 1st with a visit to Ting Stadium to take on the Holly Springs Salamanders. First pitch is set for 7pm.
The Wilson Tobs enter their 21st season as an original member within the Coastal Plain League for the 2017 summer. The upcoming season for the Tobs will see an expanded community outreach effort, increased participation in helping the less fortunate and more exciting entertainment for the Wilson Community. We would like to dedicate each successful season to the Wilson Community, Coastal Plain League Organization, Host Families, Sponsors Partners and the Dedicated Fans throughout the city of Wilson. The Wilson Tobs have played host to over 100 alumni taken in the draft and have produced a dozen players who have gone on to play in the MLB, including Cy Young & MVP winner Justin Verlander. For more information on the Wilson Tobs, visit our website www.wilsontobs.com.
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:- Will Hibbard
Phone:252-291-8627