Durham and Wilmington Set To Tangle in CPL Baseball on Wednesday at Taylor Field

Monday, July 22, 2002
Contact: Stan Cole

Durham and Wilmington Set To Tangle in CPL Baseball on Wednesday at Taylor Field

BUIES CREEK -- Campbell University will host a Coastal Plain League baseball game on Wednesday at Taylor Field. The Wilmington Sharks, managed by Campbell assistant coach Scott Jackson, will take on the Durham Americans. First pitch is scheduled for 6:00 p.m.
The game will be played in conjunction with the annual Campbell University Baseball Camp, which runs this week on campus.
The Coastal Plain League is a collegiate summer baseball league with the rosters of its 12 franchises comprised of outstanding collegiate players from across the country. The league uses wooden bats exclusively, giving hitters a head start on professional careers, while providing fans with a more traditional sounding game. Now in its sixth year of operation, the CPL spans the eastern part of Virginia, North Carolina and South Carolina.
Wilmington won the first half title in the CPL South Division standings, owns a 22-13 overall record (7-4 in the second half) and leads the second-half race by one-half game over the Florence RedWolves heading into Monday's action. Durham entered Monday's play with an 18-20 overall record, including a 5-7 second-half mark, and stood in third place in the West Division.
Mell Adams, a University of North Carolina outfielder, leads the Sharks in batting (.296), home runs (5) and RBI (18). UNC Wilmington right-handed pitcher Chris Coughlin tops the CPL in victories (7-1) and owns a 1.11 earned run average in eight starts over 56.2 innings. Georgia College reliever Mike Buck leads the Sharks and the CPL in saves with 11.
North Carolina State infielder Jeremy Dutton leads Durham in home runs (5) and RBI (29), while hitting at a .299 clip in 36 games. Virginia Commonwealth infielder Nick Jones tops the club in batting (.319) and has nine doubles and 15 RBI in 31 contests. Phil Hendrix, a right-hander from VMI, ranks among the CPL leaders in innings pitched (52.2), while Mississippi State relief man Steven Dowe has five saves.
Eight Campbell University products have played in the CPL during the summer of 2002, including Gastonia Grizzlies first baseman Josh Cotten, who leads the league in RBI (30) and is second in home runs (6) while batting .254 in 37 games. A native of Fuquay-Varina, Cotten played in the CPL All-Star Game on July 10.
For updated Coastal Plain League schedules, rosters and statistics, visit the CPL web site at www.coastalplain.com.

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