Sharks Return Four for 2019
April 16, 2019 - Coastal Plain League (Coastal Plain)
Wilmington Sharks News Release
The Wilmington Sharks are excited to welcome back Landen Wright, Zachary Bridges, and Austin Skipper as the three players from the 2018 team, and Shelton Perkins from the 2016 team who will be returning for the 2019 season.
"I had a fun time with them last summer,"Â said Head Coach Tyler Jackson who will also be returning to coach this season. "I look forward to doing it again with them this summer."
Wright is currently playing for the Queens University Royals in Charlotte. As a left-handed pitcher, he appeared in five games last season with the Sharks and started in three of them. He posted 21 strikeouts and an ERA of 2.84. So far in 2019 with the Royals, he has made seven appearances and has recorded sixteen strikeouts.
Bridges played in 26 games for the Sharks last season. He hit a home run, a triple, and a double, and stole three bases. He also plays catcher for the local UNC-Wilmington Seahawks.
"I learned things that I needed to focus on fixing and playing last summer helped me do that because I was able to play a lot of learn from each game,"Â said Bridges. "This spring I have learned how some of those things can be fixed and I think it will lead into the summer."
His time spent with the Sharks has paid off. So far in 2019, he has raised his batting average to .200 from his .071 average in 2018 with the Seahawks. He is one of the few lucky players to have the opportunity to play summer baseball in his college town.
"The best part is being able to stay where I live all year during school,"Â he said. "I am also lucky to use our weight room and other facilities when needed."
Skipper made seven appearances including five starts on the mound for the Sharks last year and posted a 5.24 ERA and struck out twelve. He is currently a sophomore at William Peace University and has a 3.80 ERA so far for the Pacers in 2019. Like Bridges, Skipper used his experience in Wilmington last summer to improve his skills before returning to the Pacers.
"When I returned, I had an upper hand playing in the Coastal Plain League,"Â said Skipper. "You see the talent that these hitters have is unbelievable. Also, I had confidence knowing I pitched well against really good hitters."
He is originally from Wilmington and is excited to return to play for his home town Sharks for a second straight summer.
"I look forward to being with my family and having them at the ballpark to see me pitch this summer. Mostly, I look forward to winning games in my hometown,"Â he said. "Being from and growing up in Wilmington I have always known how huge the Sharks are for the city. I used to come to games when I was in Middle School so having the opportunity to play for them was huge for me."
Perkins had a very successful season with the Sharks back in 2016. Primarily a right- handed pitcher, he posted a 2.22 ERA in fourteen appearances. He also showed that he has good skills with a bat in his hands and hit .286. He was sidelined for the 2017 and 2018 seasons with the Sharks due to injury. He is currently a fourth-year junior at James Madison University. He was 4-1 in 2018 and posted a 3.29 ERA and so far in 2019 is 1-0 with a 2.45 ERA.
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Coastal Plain League Stories from April 16, 2019
- Sharks Return Four for 2019 - Wilmington Sharks
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