Pilots Snap Three-Game Skid

July 9, 2016 - Coastal Plain League (Coastal Plain)
Peninsula Pilots News Release


HAMPTON, Va.- The Peninsula Pilots fended off the Wilson Tobs Saturday night to snap a three-game losing streak with a 5-4 victory on Saturday night at War Memorial Stadium. At the plate, the Pilots were aided in a big way by the one-two punch of Will Shepherd (Liberty) and Darian Carpenter (Virginia Commonwealth). Shepherd, continuing his stellar season, batted 3-for-3 with two RBIs and a run, while Carpenter, batting behind Shepherd in the lineup, went 2-for-4 with an RBI.

The Pilots reached the scoreboard early in this one, extending their record to 18-4 when scoring first. Leading off the game for the home team, Nick Walker (Old Dominion) singled to left field, and Logan Augustine (Lincoln Memorial) put another man on base with a single of his own. Shepherd then drove in two runs with a single to the left field gap, putting the Pilots up 2-0 after one inning.

After four consecutive scoreless innings, the Tobs took the lead in the sixth inning. CJ Ballard (Georgia Southern) led off the inning with an infield single, and Cameron Balego (Mercyhurst) walked to put two men on base. Both runners advanced a base on a wild pitch, and then Connor Leonard (Appalachian State) put Wilson ahead with one swing, a booming three-run home run over left field.

The Wilson lead did not last for long, however, as the Pilots responded with two more runs in the bottom of the sixth inning. Shepherd, again getting in the action, singled to lead off the inning, and Carpenter followed him up with a single to left field. Devin Mahoney (Saint Louis) reached base on a fielder's choice with Shepherd being thrown out at third base, and Kyle McPherson slapped an RBI double to right field in the next at-bat, plating Carpenter on the play. Charlie Cody (Virginia) batted in the final run of the inning on a fielder's choice groundout to second base, scoring Mahoney from third and giving the Pilots a 4-3 lead.

The home team touched the scoreboard for a third time in the eighth inning. Shepherd completed his trifecta of singles with a leadoff base hit to left field. Then Carpenter, the Robin to Shepherd's Batman on this muggy summer night, plated Shepherd all the way from first base with a warning-track double to the right field gap. This would prove to be the final Pilots run of the night, making the score 5-3.

The Tobs did not go down without a fight, but their ninth-inning rally came up just short. Matt Eppers (Ball State) led off with an infield single and advanced to second base on a walk from Justin Datillo (UNC-Pembroke). James Latona (Mercyhurst) then plated Datillo on a two-out single to right field. Pilots closer Robbie Hiser (Norfolk State) would put the finishing touches on this game, however, forcing the Tobs' final batter into a groundout.

The Pilots took a pitch-by-committee strategy in this game with seven hurlers taking the mound, highlighted by the performances of Mahoney and Sam Sinnen (Old Dominion). Mahoney, starting on the mound in addition to being the designated hitter, tossed two scoreless innings with three strikeouts. Meanwhile, in his first appearance at War Memorial Stadium, Sinnen threw two scoreless innings with three strikeouts of his own.

Seven Pilots travel to Fayetteville this weekend for the Coastal Plain League All-Star Weekend, then have two away games before coming back home on Friday to play Morehead City for Bayport Credit 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!



Coastal Plain League Stories from July 9, 2016


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