Pilots Rout Sharks

July 14, 2016 - Coastal Plain League (Coastal Plain)
Peninsula Pilots News Release


WILMINGTON, N.C. - The Peninsula Pilots scored seven runs in the first innings en route to an 11-1 rout over the Wilmington Sharks in their first game after the CPL All-Star Break on Wednesday night. After dropping three of the last four games leading up to the All-Star Break, the Pilots (23-11, 4-3) handed the Sharks (21-14, 5-3) their third consecutive loss.

Nick Walker (Old Dominion) led off the game with a single through the left side. After a stolen base, Will Shepherd (Liberty) reached on an infield single to put runners on the corners. Walker and Shepherd successfully executed a double steal to plate the first run of the game. After a fly out, Darian Carpenter (Virginia Commonwealth) doubled to center to score Shepherd. Kyle McPherson (James Madison) followed with a single to score Carpenter. After a single by Logan Augustine (Lincoln), Charlie Cody (Virginia) plated two more runs in the inning with a two-run single. Hunter Taylor (South Carolina) joined in the action with a single and Kyle Wrighte (William & Mary) scored a run after reaching on an error. Shepherd capped the scoring with a RBI single to score Taylor. Overall, the Pilots sent 10 men to the plate in the first inning and had eight hits, including five in a row.

After dropping seven runs in the first inning, the Pilots' bats were cold until the fifth inning when they found the scoreboard once again. McPherson hit a one-out triple to left field and scored on a wild pitch for an 8-0 lead.

In the sixth, Shepherd hit a two-run home run to push the Pilots into double-digits. Walker reached on a one-out single before Shepherd hit his second home run of the season with a shot to left field.

Augustine added a run in the seventh with a two-out solo home run to push the lead to 11-0. The Sharks finally found the scoreboard with a solo home run in the ninth inning by Kyler Stout.

Along with a dominant offense, the Pilots also benefited from strong pitching. Devin Mahoney (St. Louis) moved to 3-0 on the season after tossing five scoreless innings. The left-hander scattered three hits and allowed a walk. Joel Taylor (Southeast Missouri State) and Welby Malczewski (Auburn) followed with scoreless innings and two strikeouts apiece. Dillon Meadows (TCU) tossed a scoreless eighth by striking out the side while Chase Randolph (Lincoln Memorial) finished the game with an inning of work.

The Pilots face Morehead City on Thursday night before hosting the Marlins on Friday night for Bayport Credit Union Night! 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 87 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 14, 2016


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