Goss Turns Pitching Duel into a Thrilling Win
July 9, 2012 - Coastal Plain League (Coastal Plain)
Wilmington Sharks News Release
Morehead City, N.C. - Monday night's game between the Morehead City Marlins (12-23) and the Wilmington Sharks (20-14) started as a pitching duel but Casey Goss smacked two doubles for four runs batted in to help the visitors take home a 6-3 victory.
Mike Frank, who tossed a complete game the last time the Sharks played at Big Rock Stadium, got into some trouble right away in the opening frame. He surrendered a leadoff single then stole second on a disputed call, advancing then scoring on a single and a sacrifice fly.
In the fourth, Sal Annunziata continued his power streak for the Marlins and belted a line drive over the left field wall to give the hosts a 2-1 lead.
Through five innings plus two outs in the sixth, Morehead City hurler Steve Landell had not yielded a base hit. The no-hit bid ended on an Aaron Preston single, but the Sharks couldn't take advantage.
A shutout was broken up after Scott Coleman stroked a hard fly ball to the center field wall for a triple on the first pitch of the seventh inning. Connor Mitchell grounded out two batters later, but it was enough to bring home the run to make it a 2-1 ballgame.
Thanks to Frank settling down to keep the game close, an RBI double by Casey Goss brought Alex Freedman home to knot the score at two. The hit served two other purposes, extending Goss' hit streak to ten games and sending Landell to the dugout. The lefty's final line showed three hits and two walks, allowing two runs to score with eight strikeouts through 7.1 innings.
Frank did not return to start the eighth, ending his outing with two runs allowed on seven hits and a walk with eight strikeouts in seven innings before Wes Hatley came on to earn the winning decision.
Reliever Evan Zerff had no issues retiring the bottom of the eighth, but things didn't go so smoothly in the ninth as he walked Coleman, allowed a single to Zach Stephens, walked Mitchell, then threw a wild pitch that allowed the Sharks to take a 3-2 lead with runners on second and third with one out.
A Freedman walk juiced the bags again before Goss poked a line drive past everyone all the way to the center field wall for a bases-clearing double.
Morehead City didn't go down easy, with Annunziata singling to open the bottom of the ninth. He scored on a Reed Gordy double, bringing the contest to its 6-3 final score.
The Sharks continue a three-game road trip tomorrow at Fayetteville and head back to Morehead City on Wednesday. For more on the Sharks, visit wilmingtonsharks.com, add Sharky Sharks on Facebook and follow @ILMSharks on Twitter.
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Coastal Plain League Stories from July 9, 2012
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- Goss Turns Pitching Duel into a Thrilling Win - Wilmington Sharks
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