DURHAM, N.C. – The Coastal Plain League announced this morning that Jim Heath of the Peninsula Pilots has been named the 2025 recipient of the Bruce Winkworth CPL Official Scorer of the Year award. This honor recognizes individuals who demonstrate outstanding accuracy, professionalism, and dedication in the crucial role of official scorer — a responsibility that includes scoring each game in real time using the Pointstreak program, maintaining official records, and working with the league to ensure all player statistics are correct and up to date.

“I would like to thank the CPL for this honor,” Heath said. “To receive an award like this, for doing something I enjoy doing and watching good college baseball, makes it very special.”

Heath was selected for the award due to his exceptional precision, timeliness, and deep understanding of both the Pointstreak scoring system and the game of baseball. Now entering his 31st year in Athletic Communications, Heath brings a wealth of experience and a passion for sports statistics that has long been evident in his work. His commitment to accurate scoring and maintaining the integrity of game data has been invaluable to the league and its players.

Over the years, Heath has compiled an impressive résumé, including 15 years as Sports Information Director at The Apprentice School, where his teams competed at War Memorial Stadium, home of the Peninsula Pilots, and won the 2015 USCAA National Championship. He also served as the official scorer for the USCAA Baseball Championships from 2002 to 2015, held across multiple states. He has continued to work with the USCAA for over two decades, providing tournament statistics annually. His career has included key roles at Christopher Newport University, Old Dominion University, and currently Hampton University, where he is entering his second year as Director of Strategic and Broadcast Communications.

A 2023 inductee into the Apprentice School’s Hall of Fame, Heath joined the Pilots in 2021 following the pandemic, and has been a steady constant since.

Winkworth (pictured right), for whom the CPL Official Scorer of the Year award is named, was a lifelong baseball fan who learned to score games from his father and developed a love for strategy through games with his brother. He spent decades as an assistant sports information director at NC State, where he worked closely with the baseball program and influenced many in the game, including current CPL Deputy Commissioner Justin Sellers. Winkworth mentored Sellers in scoring and baseball rules, sparking his passion for the game and professional start in the CPL. In 2015, Sellers brought Winkworth into the league as the inaugural scorer for the Holly Springs Salamanders. Known for his humility, Winkworth never sought recognition and often joked he’d quit if given an award. He passed away in 2019 after an 18-month battle with lung cancer. In his honor, the Coastal Plain League renamed its Official Scorer of the Year award in memory of Winkworth to commemorate his legacy and lasting impact on the game.

About Coastal Plain League:
The Coastal Plain League is the nation’s premier and most innovative summer collegiate baseball league. The CPL is currently comprised of 15 franchises playing in Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina and Virginia. To date, the CPL has had over 1,800 alumni drafted, and 201 alums make their Major League debut. Most notable alumni include Justin Verlander, Ryan Zimmerman, Mark Reynolds, Kevin Youkilis, Chris Taylor, Alec Bohm, Jake Cave, Chas McCormick and NFL Super Bowl champion Russell Wilson. For more information on the Coastal Plain League, please visit the league website at www.coastalplain.com, and be sure to follow us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and TikTok @CPLBaseball.

About Capitol Broadcasting Company:
Capitol Broadcasting Company, Inc. is a diversified communications company which owns and/or operates WRAL-TV, WRAZ-TV, WRAL-FM, WRAL-HD2, WNGT-CD, WCMC-FM, WCMC-HD1, WDNC-AM, WCMC-HD2, WCMC-HD3, WCLY-AM, WCMC-HD4, Microspace, WRAL Digital and Wolfpack Sports Properties (a joint venture with Learfield) in Raleigh, NC; WILM-TV, WILT-LD and Sunrise Broadcasting in Wilmington, NC; The Durham Bulls Baseball Club, Bull City Hospitality and Coastal Plain League in Durham, NC; The Holly Springs Salamanders in Holly Springs, NC; the American Underground startup hub in Durham, NC; and real estate interests including the American Tobacco Historic District in Durham, NC, and Rocky Mount Mills in Rocky Mount, NC.