Pilots Declaw Grizzlies
Published on July 28, 2016 under Coastal Plain League (Coastal Plain)
Peninsula Pilots News Release
GASTONIA, N.C. - The Peninsula Pilots used a 14-hit attack to prevail over the Gastonia Grizzlies 11-4 at Sims Legion Park on Thursday night. The Pilots (32-16, 13-8) completed their schedule against West Division opponents with a perfect 8-0 record which includes a pair of victories over High Point-Thomasville and Martinsville. The Grizzlies (16-30, 7-11)
Charlie Cody (Virginia) went 2-for-5 with a home run and 4 RBIs while Will Shepherd (Liberty) continued his impressive summer with three hits and Kyle Wrighte (William & Mary) continued his recent torrid streak at the plate with another multi-hit game.
Peninsula jumped out to a quick 2-0 start after the first inning. Shepherd led off the game with a double down the left field line and moved to third on a single by Logan Augustine (Lincoln Memorial). Devin Mahoney (St. Louis) drove in the first run of the game with a sacrifice fly to left field. After a Darian Carpenter (VCU) double put two runners in scoring position, Kyle McPherson (James Madison) scored Augustine with a RBI ground out.
The Pilots tacked on three more runs in the third inning as Mahoney reached on an error and Carpenter walked to set up Cody's three-run home run to left field.
Three more runs came across in the fourth inning to extend the Pilots lead to 8-0. Wrighte led off with a single to center and Shepherd followed with a walk to put two runners on with no outs. After a strike out and a pop out fizzled the strong start to the inning, Carpenter drew another walk to load the bases. McPherson singled to left to score two runs and Cody followed with a RBI single to left to give the visitors an early 8-0 lead.
Paul Hall Jr. (Virginia Tech) cruised through the first four innings before struggling in the fifth inning. Holding an 8-0 lead, a single by Jackson Mims (Charlotte) followed by a double to Nathaniel Maggio (North Greenville) set up a three-run home run by Alex Reynolds (Charlotte) ended the night for Hall. The left-hander finished with three runs in four innings and struck out three on the night. Tim Edwards (Seton Hall) followed with three innings and gave up an unearned run on a Mims RBI single in the sixth. The right-hander walked one and struck out three to move to 2-0 on the season.
Holding a four-run lead, the Pilots earned some breathing room with three runs in the eighth inning. Franco Guardascione (Jacksonville) and Wrighte knocked back-to-back singles to lead off the inning. Shepherd continued his stellar summer with a two-run double down the left-field line. Later in the inning, Mahoney hit a single up the middle to bring in the final run of the game.
Colton Harlow (James Madison) and Alex Mauricio (Norfolk State) each pitched a scoreless inning to close out the game.
Tyler Wirsu (Longwood) took the loss to move to 1-2 on the season after giving up eight runs in four innings.
The Pilots wrap up their four game road trip with a matchup in Holly Springs on Friday night. The team will return home on Saturday night for Star Wars Night against Petersburg. For more information regarding the season, please visit www.peninsulapilots.com. For up to the minute details on Pilots Baseball be sure to "Like" us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter and Instagram @PeninsulaPilots. Use the #PilotsNation to spread the word about the Pilots!
The Coastal Plain League is the nation's premier summer collegiate baseball league. Celebrating its 20th season in 2016, the CPL features 16 teams playing in Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina and Virginia. The CPL has had nearly 1,300 alumni drafted and 88 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.
Coastal Plain League Stories from July 28, 2016
- Pilots Declaw Grizzlies - Peninsula Pilots
- Fish Falter Late Again; Drop to Savannah - Lexington County Blowfish
- 10 Unanswered Runs Give Sharks Comeback Win - Wilmington Sharks
- Blowfish Still in Hunt for Playoff Spot - Lexington County Blowfish
- Pilots Defeat Florence in Shootout - Peninsula Pilots
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