Marlins Bash 17 Hits in 10-3 Win over Sharks
June 30, 2014 - Coastal Plain League (Coastal Plain)
Morehead City Marlins News Release
MOREHEAD CITY, N.C.- Morehead City rapped out a season-high 17 hits on Monday evening, plating 10 runs in a convincing 10-3 victory over the Wilmington Sharks at Big Rock Stadium.
The bottom four players in the Marlins' lineup combined for 11 hits and seven runs as a top-to-bottom effort drove the Marlins to their fifth victory of the season.
"I think our guys came out and saw the baseball well tonight and they cashed in on opportunities that were presented," said Marlins' head coach Sam Carel. "We had quite a few clutch two-out hits tonight and when you do that you are going to have an opportunity to win."
"When the bottom of the lineup gets going it's a lot easier for the guys at the top of the lineup to swing the bat," said Marlins' shortstop Kyle Carroll. "Also getting runs earlier is huge. It gives teams a lot of confidence, helps us settle in and not try to do too much."
On Monday, the Marlins struck early and often.
In the second inning, Carroll reached on a leadoff single, and later Trent Leimkuehler laced a single of his own, putting two men aboard with one out for Eduardo Castro. Castro had not started since June 21 due to arm discomfort, but had collected an RBI in each of the first three games he started this season. He continued that streak and doubled his RBI total with one swing.
Starter Beau Dees, who had a 1.65 ERA in five starts entering the game, left a pitch over the plate and Castro hit it just over the left field wall for his first homer of the season.
"He first threw me a changeup, and I went out in front a little bit and I made the adjustment," Castro said. "He threw me another changeup and I stayed back and had a pretty good swing. I was really working hard to get back on the field...it was a great feeling."
"That was huge," Carel said. "Any time a guy has been sitting out a week and in the first at bat back he can get a home run, that is going to get him going."
Castro started what would be three consecutive three-run innings for Morehead City, as they jumped out to a 9-0 lead by the end of four frames.
"They came out and Wilmington tried to get ahead of [our batters] early, and our guys were aggressive early in the count," Carel said.
Castro finished 2-for-3 with four RBI after adding another on a single in the third inning. Leimkuehler drove in a run and scored twice while collecting three hits. Ramsey Romano had three hits and an RBI, and Carroll was 3-for-4 with three runs scored and a walk in five plate appearances.
Carroll has now reached base safely in 29 of his last 49 plate appearances (.592 on-base percentage) and over that stretch is hitting .444 with a home run, 13 walks, 14 runs and five runs batted in.
"I am locked in and ready for balls in the zone and [I am] taking good hacks at everything," Carroll said. "I'm not getting cheated at the plate, I am taking the game out of the umpire's hands and that is what is key for me."
Morehead City also got a tremendous effort on the hill. Griffin Weir, making his first start of the season at any level, went four innings and allowed two runs on just one hit. It was the most innings he has pitched since tossing two in relief on February 14 for Stanford.
After he left the game, Logan Hershenow came on for his 11th appearance of the season and was dominant.
He worked three innings, struck out four and allowed just one unearned run as re-took the innings pitched lead on the team with 22. He inherited a bases loaded, no out jam from Weir that he worked through, allowing just two runs to score.
"He came in in a tough situation following Weir," Carel said. "To come out and minimize the damage with bases loaded nobody out and be the bridge there for the next two innings [after that], I thought he was the most important player of the game."
Matt Tindall and Casey Eskew worked a scoreless eighth and ninth to preserve the win for Morehead City, their third in the last five games.
Morehead City will play at home again on Wednesday following Tuesday's off day, as they take on the Peninsula Pilots to kick off the second half of the season. First pitch is at 7:05.
The Coastal Plain League is the nation's hottest summer collegiate baseball league. Celebrating its 18th season in 2014, the CPL features 14 teams playing North Carolina, South Carolina, and Virginia. The CPL gives college players the chance to refine their skills with the use of wooden bats. Players are housed with local host families for the summer and past experiences have been very positive for both players and hosts. Furthermore, the CPL has had over 1,100 alumni drafted and 65 alums - including 2011 AL MVP and Cy Young winner Justin Verlander - make their Major League debut thus far. For more information on the Coastal Plain League, please visit the league website at www.coastalplain.com, and be sure to friend us on Facebook (at www.facebook.com/coastalplainleague) and follow us via Twitter (@CPLBaseball).
• Discuss this story on the Coastal Plain League message board...
Coastal Plain League Stories from June 30, 2014
- Marlins Bash 17 Hits in 10-3 Win over Sharks - Morehead City Marlins
- SwampDogs Win 3-1 on Strength of Pitching, Defense - Fayetteville SwampDogs
- Blowfish Announce July's Community Organizations of the Night - Lexington County Blowfish
- Blowfish Close First Half of CPL Season - Lexington County Blowfish
- Peninsula Pilots (CPL) Upset USA Baseball, 7-5 - Coastal Plain
- Team USA Drops 7-5 Decision to Peninsula Pilots - Peninsula Pilots
The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.
