SwampDogs Drop Heartbreaker, 9-7
Published on July 2, 2014 under Coastal Plain League (Coastal Plain)
Fayetteville SwampDogs News Release
FAYETTEVILLE, N.C. - If there were a statistic for tough luck on the mound, Ricky Rivera (Central Missouri) would lead the Coastal Plain League. One start after being handed a loss in a game where he wnt 6.2 innings and allowed just one earned run, he allowed no earned runs in six innings Tuesday night against the Peninsula Pilots and departed with a lead, only to see the SwampDogs drop a heartbreaker 9-7.
The SwampDogs did most of their offensive damage in the third inning, plating six runs against Peninsula starter Jonathan Rosenberger. After Jacob Whiting (Montevallo) led off the inning by reaching on an error, Palmer Page (Utah Valley) sacrificed him over to second. Then the hit parade began.
Michael Bozarth (Saint Louis) would rip a double down the left field line to plate Whiting, then Jason Blum (Southeast Missouri State) would collect a base knock to put runners on the corners. Lane Paul (Murray State College) was up next and dunked a single into right field driving in Bozarth to give the SwampDogs a 2-1 lead. David Palenzuela (Miami Dade) singled to bring home Blum, then Norm Donkin (Delaware) got a hit to load the bases. A Kam Stewart (Frostburg State) RBI single brought in Paul as the runners all went station-to-station, and the Dogs led 4-1. Chase Edwards (Mount Olive) would be up next and popped a two-run double to left centerfield to put the Dogs up 6-1.
Rosenberger was removed from the game at that point, with still just one out in the inning, and the SwampDogs already having batted around. Derek Justice came in to face Whiting who lined into a controversial double play to end the inning. With the infield drawn in Whiting lofted a soft, low line drive out toward second baseman P.J. Higgins who appeared to have trapped the ball. Base umpire Tim Towe was not in great position to see the play and ruled that the ball had been caught by Higgins on the fly. Higgins then alertly threw to third base to double off Stewart and end the inning.
The SwampDogs would only score one more run in the ballgame, coming on a sacrifice fly from Paul in the sixth inning.
Meanwhile, the Pilots notched three unearned runs in the sixth against Rivera, after a dropped third strike with two outs opened the floodgates for three runs to score. They would notch another four in the seventh inning off of Teddy Turner (Trinity) and one more in the eighth against Hunter Barnett (Mount Olive) to take a 9-7 lead.
Brandon Stephens came in and pitched the ninth and shut the door on the Dogs, who are now 0-1 in the second half of the CPL season. Turner took the loss for the Dogs, and is now 0-1, while Blair Betts got the win for the Pilots, he is now 3-0. Stephens' save was his first of the year.
The SwampDogs hit the road tomorrow night before returning home on Thursday, July 3rd to face the Wilson Tobs on Fireworks night at The Swamp. For tickets and more information, call 426-5900.
The Coastal Plain League is the nation's hottest summer collegiate baseball league. Celebrating its 18th season in 2014, the CPL features 14 teams playing in North Carolina, South Carolina and Virginia. The CPL gives college players the chance to refine their skills with the use of wooden bats. Players are housed with local host families for the summer and past experiences have been very positive for both players and hosts. The CPL has had over 1,200 alumni drafted and 69 of those - including 2011 AL MVP and Cy Young winner Justin Verlander - make their Major League debut; while another notable alum - Russell Wilson - won Super Bowl XLVIII. For more information on the Coastal Plain League, please visit the league website at www.coastalplain.com and follow us via Twitter @CPLBaseball.
Coastal Plain League Stories from July 2, 2014
- Fayetteville Bullpen Flops, Fins Win 2-1 - Wilmington Sharks
- Owls Lose Thriller In Forest City - Forest City Owls
- SwampDogs Drop Heartbreaker, 9-7 - Fayetteville SwampDogs
- Montville Mashes Another Moonshot, Fins Win 7-3 - Wilmington Sharks
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