The West CPL All-Stars (pictured left, courtesy of Tonya Palumbo) scored a pair of runs in the top of the sixth inning to break a 1-1 tie and later held off a ninth-inning rally by the East CPL All-Stars to win the 2022 Coastal Plain League All-Star Game, 3-2 on Sunday night at Dick Sears Field at Ting Stadium in Holly Springs, N.C.
After a quick first four innings, the West jump on the board first in the top of the fifth inning. Savannah’s Indiana Stanley (Columbia) reached on a hit-by-pitch to lead things off. He then stole second and third before coming home on a throwing error by East third baseman Taber Mongero (Wilmington/UNC Wilmington).
But the East would answer in their half of the frame. Wilson’s Ethan Ott (UNC Pembroke) led off and reached on a throwing error by West third baseman Eli Weisner (High Point-Thomasville/Louisburg) that sailed past first baseman Brock Vradenburg (Lexington County/Michigan State) and into foul territory, allowing Ott to advance to second. A groundout by Elijah Dickerson (Peninsula/Towson) moved Ott to third, and then he came home on a sacrifice fly to center by Mongero to tie things up, 1-1.
A pair of walks by Morehead City’s Logan Garza (Texas A&M-Kingsville) put Ty Jackson (Savannah/East Georgia) and Christian Easley (Martinsville/Maryland-Baltimore County) on first and second respectively with one out for Savannah third baseman Beau Brewer (Paris JC). Easley stole third on the first pitch – a ball – in the at-bat to put runners on the corners. Brewer then connected on a shot through the right side that scored Easley and advanced Jackson to third. On a pitch to strike out the next West batter, Brewer broke for second, drawing a throw from East catcher Zach Miller (Morehead City/Catawba College). Jackson, however, took off to steal home on the throw by Miller, which also resulted in Brewer retreating and beating the throw from East second baseman Connor Coolahan (Holly Springs/Elon) back at first; giving the West a 3-1 lead.
The teams exchanged zeros in the seventh and eighth, bringing up the East’s last chance in the bottom of the ninth. Mason Sykes (Wilson/Toledo) led off and connected on a double to the wall in left. A 6-3 groundout by Wilson teammate Efry Cervantes (Nebraska) moved Sykes within 90 feet of home, and then he scored on a wild pitch by Forest City pitcher Brett Porthan (Dixie State) to cut the deficit in half. Porthan rebounded, however, striking out the next two batters to earn the save and secure the 3-2 victory for the West CPL All-Stars.
Savannah’s Jared Donalson (Georgia Southwestern) earned the win after pitching two innings of hitless baseball, surrendering one run – unearned – to go with two strikeouts. Garza was tagged with the loss after giving up a pair of earned runs on one hit and two walks, and striking out two.
After the game, CPL Commissioner Justin Sellers awarded the Hitter and Pitcher of the All-Star Game trophies as selected by the attending media. Brewer earned the Hitter of the All-Star Game honors after finishing 1-for-2 with an RBI. Meanwhile, Tri-City pitcher Hayden Snelsire (Randolph-Macon) took home the Pitcher of the All-Star Game award after only walking one and striking out three of the four batters he faced.
About Coastal Plain League:
The Coastal Plain League, brought to you by FloSports, is the nation’s premier summer collegiate baseball league. Now in its 26th season in 2022, the CPL features 14 franchises playing in Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina and Virginia. To date, the CPL has had over 1,700 alumni drafted and 156 alums make their Major League debut – including 2017 ALCS MVP, 2017 World Series champion, 2011 AL MVP and Cy Young award winner Justin Verlander, as well as 2017 NLCS MVP Chris Taylor. 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.