Near Comeback Falls Short
June 15, 2014 - Coastal Plain League (Coastal Plain)
Fayetteville SwampDogs News Release
FAYTETTEVILLE, N.C. - Crazy. That's the most fitting way to describe the Fayetteville SwampDogs game Sunday evening against the Peninsula Pilots, a 9-8 loss.
The Pilots held a 9-0 lead over the SwampDogs heading into the bottom of the eighth inning, but the "ËDogs rallied for eight runs to cut it to a one-run game, but couldn't push across the equalizer.
In the fourth inning, SwampDogs starter Will Bacon surrendered four runs, three of which came on the strength of a three-run home run by Andres Nelo. The Pilots would strike again with another three run homer in the fifth inning, this time off the bat of Brandon Stephens. The Stephens home run ended Bacon's day after 4.1 innings pitched and seven runs allowed.
They would tack on their final two runs on a two-run home run by Alex Close in the sixth inning off of Justin White.
On the mound Brandon Vick cruised through the first six innings for the Pilots, allowing just two hits and four total base runners. He was replaced by Taylor Edens, who worked around a couple of hits in the seventh, but ran into a world of trouble in the eighth.
In that inning, Tyler Coolbaugh led off and chopped a weak grounder up the first base line. Edens got off the mound to field it as Coolbaugh never left the batter's box, arguing that the ball hit his foot. Home plate umpire Ryan Barneycastle disagreed, and Coolbaugh was tagged out by Edens.
Then the hit parade began.
Alex Harris got an infield single, then Brandon Metoyer and Palmer Page followed that up with singles of their own. The bases were loaded with nobody out, and David Palenzuela stepped up and dumped a single into left-center field to bring home Harris and Metoyer. Chase Edwards was up next and had a base hit up the middle to bring in Page and make it 9-3 Pilots. Lane Paul and Rayne Raven followed with RBI singles making the score 9-5, with Sam Hall coming up to the plate looking for his first SwampDogs hit.
And he delivered.
Hall deposited the Edens pitch over the right field wall to bring the "ËDogs within a run at 9-8, and end Edens' day. Wes McGuire would come in and extinguish the fire before Blair Betts came in for the ninth to get the save.
The winner was Vick, who improves to 1-0 on the season, Bacon got the loss falling to 0-1. Betts' save was his first of the season.
The SwampDogs are back at it Monday at Edenton before returning home on Tuesday to face the Wilmington Sharks at 7:05 pm. For tickets and more information, call the SwampDogs at 910-426-5900.
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 in 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. The CPL has had nearly 1,200 alumni drafted and 68 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.
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Coastal Plain League Stories from June 15, 2014
- Four Errors Hurt Morehead City in 8-1 Loss to Gastonia - Morehead City Marlins
- Blowfish Lose Father's Day Double Header to Florence RedWolves - Lexington County Blowfish
- Montville and Moorhouse Homer in Sharks 12-3 Victory - Wilmington Sharks
- Near Comeback Falls Short - Fayetteville SwampDogs
- Owls Fall To Hi-Toms - Forest City Owls
- Cerbo's Walk-Off Leads The Owls Past Hi-Toms - Forest City Owls
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