Tobs Fall to Peninsula on Tuesday Night

Updated July 25 2017
WILSON, N.C.

The Tobs dropped their fourth straight contest on Tuesday night, a 9-2 loss to the Peninsula Pilots at Historic Fleming Stadium.

With the loss, the Tobs dropped back to 4-12 in the Coastal Plain League second half standings and 13-31 overall on the season.

The Tobs were limited to seven hits on Tuesday night, as Kyle Hinton (Delaware), the Peninsula starter, had the Tobs off balance from the beginning. The right-hander threw five innings of one-run ball, picking up the win, moving up to 4-0 on the season. Nick Spadafino (Delaware) threw three innings on one run, and Nathan Eaton (VMI) got the final three outs for Peninsula.

The Tobs got their first run of the game in the bottom of the fifth inning, when Brady Lloyd (ECU) hit a sacrifice fly to right field, scoring Jake Holtzapple (UNC).

In the sixth, the Tobs got their second run, which proved to be their final run of the game, but it came in a big way. Dawnoven Smith (NC A&T) blasted a Nick Spadafino fastball over the wall in left, a no-doubt shot for his fourth of the season and RBI number 15.

On the mound, the Tobs stuggled throwing strikes on Tuesday. Overall, Tobs pitching uncorked eight wild pitches on the game, allowing Peninsula several free bases. Four of the Pilots’ nine runs came on wild pitches with a runner on third base.

Tristan Roberts (Presbyterian) started on the mound for the Tobs, his second of the season. After the left-hander walked the first three batters of the game to load the bases, he got out of the jam with a strikeout and a double play to hold Peninsula scoreless. In the second, Roberts struck out the side. However, Roberts couldn’t sustain the dominance, and Peninsula scored one in the third and four in the fourth. Roberts finished his outing going 3-plus innings, allowing five runs (four earned) on three hits, striking out six and walking seven. He was tagged with the loss, going to 0-1 on the season.

Will Edwards (Chowan) got all three outs in the fourth in relief of Roberts and pitched the fifth inning as well. The lefty went two innings without allowing any batter he faced to score, allowing three hits, walking one man.

After Edwards, the Tobs divided the game into four one-inning assignments.

In the sixth, Henry Cartrett (USC-Aiken) came on for the Tobs. The southpaw allowed one earned run on one hit, and also walked one man.

The seventh inning went to Sam Luchansky (Belmont Abbey) throwing his pre-start bullpen session in game action as he prepared for his scheduled start Thursday at Wilmington. The sidewinder hit the first batter he faced, but retired the next three in order.

Cody Smith (Chowan) pitched the eighth, and was touched up for two earned runs on three hits, striking out one and walking one.

Finally, in the ninth inning, the Tobs called on AJ Hunt (NC A&T), normally an infielder for the Tobs, to make his second pitching appearance of the year, as the Tobs were running low on bullpen availability, playing the sixth game in a stretch of ten games in ten days. Hunt walked two in the frame, allowing one earned run as Conor Davis (Auburn) came in from third to score on a wild pitch.

The Tobs will play game number seven in the ten-game stretch with a home tilt against the Edenton Steamers tomorrow from Historic Fleming Stadium. 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

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