Owls Claim First Half West Division Title
July 4, 2011 - Coastal Plain League (Coastal Plain)
Forest City Owls News Release
ASHEBORO, N.C. - The race for the First Half West Division championship came down to a winner-take-all contest in the second half of the season, but in the end the Forest City Owls left McCrary Park with the crown on their heads. The Owls defeated the Asheboro Copperheads, 8-5, Monday night to win the First Half West Division Championship and an automatic berth in the CPL Petitt Cup Playoffs. This is Forest City's third consecutive First Half division championship. The Owls improve to 1-1 in the second half and 17-12 overall, while the Copperheads fall to 0-3 in the second half and 16-14 overall.
Nick Lomascolo (Catawba) took the hill this evening for Forest City, walking away with his third victory of the season. Lomascolo worked 6 2/3 innings, allowing three runs on ten hits, striking out seven batters and walking two. North Carolina's Tate Parrish suffered a painful end to his first CPL start. Parrish left the game in the third inning after being hit in the ankle by a hard liner off the bat of Owls LF Cameron Conner (N.C. State). Parrish gave up three runs (two earned) on two hits, recording five strikeouts and two walks. Adding insult to injury, Parrish took the loss.
First pitch was delayed about a half hour due to inclement weather. The Owls jumped out to an early lead in the top of the third inning, when Michael Bishop (Jacksonville State) blasted a three-run home run over the left-center fence, his third jack of the season. Forest City was able to load the bases with two outs, but 3B Danny Canela (N.C. State) struck out to finish the inning.
The Owls owned a 3-0 lead until the bottom of the third, when Copperheads 3B Jacob Wilson (Memphis) lined a single into center field that drove home LF Hunter Ridge (UNC Wilmington). Forest City held on to a 3-1 advantage after the third inning.
Forest City added to its total in the top of the fourth inning. With the bases loaded and one out, DH Konstantine Diamaduros (Wofford) rocketed a double through the right-center gap. Catcher Craig Manuel (Rice) and RF Axel Johnson (TCU) scored. Two at-bats later, 1B Dusty Quattlebaum (Gardner-Webb) shot a double down the left field line, bringing Diamaduros home. The Owls led 6-1 through six complete.
The Owls continued to pour it on in the top of the seventh inning. Canela blooped a single into shallow left field, allowing Quattlebaum and Conner to cross the plate. Forest City boosted their lead to 8-1. Asheboro pulled a bit closer in the bottom of the inning, when Wilson laced a double into left field that sent Witt and Ridge home, making it 8-3. Asheboro added a couple of token runs in the bottom of the ninth off a Wilson double, bringing the final score to 8-5.
Copperheads manager Donnie Wilson was tossed in the bottom of the fifth inning after engaging in a Broadway-esque shouting match with both umpires following the pickoff of Lucas Witt (Kentucky) at first base.
Canela went 2-for-5 with two RBIs. Quattlebaum finished 2-for-4 with an RBI and a run scored. Bishop went 1-for-4 with three RBIs, all coming off his home run in the third inning. For Asheboro, Wilson finished 3-for-5 with five RBIs. Ridge went 2-for-4 with three runs scored.
The Owls and Copperheads will do battle once again tomorrow night at McNair Field. First pitch is scheduled for 7:30 PM.
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Coastal Plain League Stories from July 4, 2011
- HiToms slip past Gastonia on July 4 - High Point-Thomasville HiToms
- Delay only Adds Fuel to Steamers Fire - Edenton Steamers
- Owls Claim First Half West Division Title - Forest City Owls
- Blowfish Walk off on Redwolves - Lexington County Blowfish
- HiToms Host Independence Day Celebration/Red Out - High Point-Thomasville HiToms
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