Sharks-Fayetteville game two, WLM forces game three
Published on August 5, 2011 under Coastal Plain League (Coastal Plain)
Wilmington Sharks News Release
The Wilmington Sharks made it very clear that they were not ready for their 2011 season to end, scoring multiple runs in four separate innings and pounded out 17 hits en route to a 13-3 win over the Fayetteville Swampdogs in Fayetteville on Friday night. The Sharks win now sets up a winner-take-all game three Saturday night, also in Fayetteville.
Daniel Aldrich continued his recent home run streak, blasting two homers to give him a home run in each of the Sharks last three games. Aldrich's solo shot in Morehead City Tuesday night was the game-winner in the regular season finale and his opposite field shot last night tied Game One. Aldrich won the CPL Home Run Derby in Fayetteville back on July 17th when he belted 18 homers.
Aldrich finished his night 3-for-5 with seven RBIs to lead the Sharks, Justyn Carter had two hits and two RBIs, while Emilio Pagan and Eric Mayers each tallied two hit nights for the visitors as well.
The Sharks posted two runs in their first at-bat to set the game's tone, before plating four runs in the third inning and three runs in both the fifth and sixth innings to give starter Chris Mazza more than enough run support.
Mazza finished with nine strikeouts over seven complete innings to earn his sixth win of 2011. Mazza allowed just five hits and three walks while giving up the three Fayetteville runs.
In the first inning, Jeff Moyer blasted a two-run homer that found its way just inside the left field foul pole to give the Sharks the early lead.
After Fayetteville plated a run in the bottom of the first and two runs in the bottom of the second to take the lead, the Sharks responded with a four-run third that was highlighted by Aldrich's grand slam as Wilmington took the lead back and never looked back. In the fifth, Aaron Preston broke out of his slump with an RBI single to right field that brought home Emilio Pagan before Justyn Carter singled back up the middle and picked up two RBIs as Moyer and Preston came home.
An inning later in the sixth, Kenny Bryant led off the inning with a double before Jake Mayers walked. With two on, it was again Aldrich who stepped to the plate and uncorked a rocket that got over the scoreboard in right field that had distance comparable to some of his shots in the CPL Home Run Derby.
The Sharks finished off the scoring in the ninth as Cam Cockman singled up the middle before advancing around the basepaths and scoring on a Scott Coleman RBI single.
Game Three of the series will be back in Fayetteville on Saturday night with the first pitch scheduled for 7:05. Jake Mayers is expected to start for the Sharks, while Alex Belew is the tentative starter for Fayetteville.
Coastal Plain League Stories from August 5, 2011
- Hitosm Host Game Three Saturday - High Point-Thomasville HiToms
- HiToms even series with walk-off - High Point-Thomasville HiToms
- Owls Sweep Copperheads, Advance to Semis - Forest City Owls
- Fayetteville Swamped by Aldrich, Mazza; Fall to Wilmington 13-3 - Fayetteville SwampDogs
- Sharks-Fayetteville game two, WLM forces game three - Wilmington Sharks
- HiToms Host Playoff Game - High Point-Thomasville HiToms
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