The Coastal Plain League has had a long-lasting relationship with USA Baseball, welcoming the USA Baseball Collegiate National Team (CNT) to its ballparks since 2006. During the 2013 summer, seven Coastal Plain League teams – Peninsula, Morehead City, Fayetteville, Wilson, Wilmington, Florence, and High Point-Thomasville – will play host to the USA Baseball Collegiate National Team in eight exhibition contests. The 2013 USA Baseball Collegiate National Team Tour of the CPL is presented by Baseball America.
“We are very excited to welcome the Collegiate National Team back to the Coastal Plain League for eight games in 2013,” said CPL commissioner Justin Sellers. “We couldn’t do this without the great leadership in our league with our owners and general managers, as well as the relationship we have with USA Baseball. We know these eight games will be highlighted events for our fans that they won’t want to miss this summer.”
This will mark the fourth straight year teams from the CPL will welcome the Collegiate National Team into their ballparks.
Starting Saturday, June 22, the Collegiate National Team, led by TCU head coach Jim Schlossnagle, will open its tour through the CPL with four straight games beginning in Hampton, Va., where they will face the Peninsula Pilots. The next day, the team travels to Morehead City for a game with the Marlins. On Monday, June 24, the Collegiate National Team will play the Fayetteville SwampDogs at J.P. Riddle Stadium, followed by a game on Tuesday, June 25, against the Wilson Tobs before the Collegiate National Team returns to Cary, N.C.
“The Coastal Plain League does a great job with its facilities – both historic and new,” said Eric Campbell, USA Baseball’s General Manager of National Teams. “The level of play in the league is strong and competition like this is the best way to get our team prepared for our series later in the summer in Japan against the Japanese Collegiate All-Stars.”
The tour will resume on Thursday, June 27, with a game against the Wilmington Sharks. Then, the Collegiate National Team will play two teams they have never met before when they go to face the Florence RedWolves on June 28 and then end in Thomasville on June 29 and June 30 to play the HiToms in back-to-back contests.
“In terms of fan support, field conditions and strength of competition, I anticipate the 2013 schedule of games with the Coastal Plain League will be a great tour for the Collegiate National Team,” said Campbell. “We are excited about bringing the team back to our existing partners in Fayetteville, Wilmington and Morehead City and also very excited about new stops in Peninsula, Florence, Wilson and Thomasville.”
In addition to hosting the USA Baseball Collegiate National Team, teams in the Coastal Plain League have also welcomed and played other international teams in the past, including the Japanese Collegiate All-Stars and the Russian National Team.
2013 USA Baseball CNT at CPL Schedule
Saturday, June 22: USA Baseball CNT 1, Peninsula Pilots 0 (in Hampton, Va.): Box Score & Play-by-Play
Sunday, June 23: USA Baseball CNT 10, Morehead City Marlins 2 (in Morehead City, N.C.): Box Score & Play-by-Play
Monday, June 24: USA Baseball CNT 11, Fayetteville SwampDogs 3 (in Fayetteville, N.C.): Box Score & Play-by-Play
Tuesday, June 25: USA Baseball CNT 3, Wilson Tobs 0 (in Wilson, N.C.): Box Score & Play-by-Play
Thursday, June 27: USA Baseball CNT 7, Wilmington Sharks 3 (7 Innings – in Wilmington, N.C.): Box Score & Play-by-Play
Friday, June 28: USA Baseball CNT 9, Florence RedWolves 0 (in Florence, S.C.): Box Score & Play-by-Play
Saturday, June 29: USA Baseball CNT 5, High Point-Thomasville HiToms 2 (in Thomasville, N.C.): Box Score & Play-by-Play
Sunday, June 30: USA Baseball CNT 3, High Point-Thomasville HiToms 3 (7 Innings – in Thomasville, N.C.): Box Score & Play-by-Play