Sharks fall on the road in Gastonia, South Division lead shortens
July 23, 2011 - Coastal Plain League (Coastal Plain)
Wilmington Sharks News Release
The Wilmington Sharks (10-6) dropped their first of two straight road games on the road Saturday night, falling to the Gastonia Grizzles 8-3 as the visitors were held to just four hits.
With the loss, the Sharks lead in the CPL South Division shrink back to just one-half game, this time with the Morehead City Marlins in second place after their win Saturday night. Fayetteville dropped to one game back and into third place in the South after losing to Columbia.
Against Gastonia (9-9), the Sharks fell victim to an eight-ininng, three hit performance from Grizzles starter Michael Heesch, who also struck out eight.
Wilmington starter Chris Mazza fell to 4-3 on the season after allowing seven runs on 10 Gastonia hits over 5-2/3 innings of work.
The Sharks plated their first run in the top of the fourth, with Gastonia already having four runs on the scoreboard, before seeing the hosts extend the lead with two runs in the fifth and one run in both the sixth and seventh before the Sharks plated two runs in the top of the ninth for the final score.
Jeff Moyer, Kenny Bryant, Jake Mayers and Scott Coleman each tallied one hit apiece, with Mayers and Chris Dula picking up an RBI apiece. Bryant scored two of the Sharks three runs.
The Sharks had two of their four hits in the fourth inning, as Bryant singled with one out before Jake Mayers followed him up with an RBI double.
Down 8-1 in the ninth, Moyer opened the inning with a single before Bryant reached on an error that allowed the baserunners to each advance one base. Dula, pinch hitting for Mayers, fouled a sacrifice fly into foul territory to the first baseman before an error by the first baseman allowed both Moyer and Bryant to score.
The Sharks then saw Daniel Aldrich reach via a hit by pitch before he was retired by a fielders' choice that allowed Scott Coleman to reach base. Coleman advanced to second on a Gastonia passed ball before Alex Freedman reached on an error to shortstop that put runners at the corners. Russ Stupienski flew out to right field to end the game.
Coastal Plain League Stories from July 23, 2011
- Sharks fall on the road in Gastonia, South Division lead shortens - Wilmington Sharks
- Owls Walkoff vs. Thomasville, 7-6 - Forest City Owls
- Tobs' win streak halted at 3 - Wilson Tobs
- Edenton's Joe Wendle Breaks CPL Single-Season Hits Record - Coastal Plain
- Owls outslug HiToms - High Point-Thomasville HiToms
- Marlins Bounce Back in Florence - Morehead City Marlins
- Early Errors Doom Fayetteville in 4-3 Loss to Columbia - Fayetteville SwampDogs
- Peninsula Pilots to Hold Niemann-Pick Type C Awareness Night - Peninsula Pilots
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