Pilots Suffocate Copperheads
July 18, 2016 - Coastal Plain League (Coastal Plain)
Peninsula Pilots News Release
HAMPTON, Va.- The Peninsula Pilots ended up victorious in a low-scoring affair Monday night, defeating the Asheboro Copperheads 3-0 in their first and only matchup of the season. Both teams were champions of their respective divisions over the first half of the season, making this an important game for the Coastal Plain League playoff picture. Joe Poduslenko (Seton Hall) and Will Shepherd (Liberty) both had good nights at the plate. Poduslenko batted 2-for-4 with an RBI and a run, while Shepherd went 1-for-2 with an RBI and run of his own.
After three scoreless innings, the Pilots got on the board for the first time in the fourth inning. Poduslenko led off the inning with a single to shortstop, then advanced to third base on a single from Kyle McPherson (James Madison). Logan Augustine (Lincoln Memorial) plated Poduslenko in the next at-bat with a one-out sacrifice fly to left field.
The Pilots got back in the action in the fifth inning. Connor Sorge (Central Missouri) led off with a pinch-hit double down the right field line. Shepherd, proving again why he was selected to be a starter in this year's Coastal Plain League All-Star Game, doubled over the left fielder's head, batting in Sorge on the play. After advancing to third base on a fielder's choice from Devin Mahoney (Saint Louis), Shepherd crossed home on an infield single from Poduslenko. This would turn out to be the third and final run of the game, as the Pilots pitching staff held their ground all night in the shutout victory.
As they have done multiple times this season, the Pilots took the pitch-by-committee strategy, and it paid dividends for the home team in the form of a combined shutout. Eight men took the mound for the Pilots, highlighted by the performances of starter Chris Gau (Jacksonville), reliever Mahoney, and closer Robbie Hiser (Norfolk State). Gau threw two hitless innings, striking out one, and Mahoney, swapping positions with Gau after coming in to pitch from left field, threw two scoreless innings of his own, earning the win in the process to move to 4-0 on the season. Hiser capped off the stellar night of pitching by tossing a perfect ninth inning, striking out two batters for his sixth save of the season. Gau, a man of many talents, recorded the other ninth-inning out on a highlight-reel diving catch in left field with Hiser on the mound.
The Pilots travel to Wilson on Tuesday, but come back home on Wednesday to take on Fayetteville for Alzheimer's Awareness 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!
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Coastal Plain League Stories from July 18, 2016
- Blowfish Beat Owls for First Time this Season - Lexington County Blowfish
- Pilots Suffocate Copperheads - Peninsula Pilots
- Sharks Score Early and Often to Beat Salamanders - Wilmington Sharks
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