MOREHEAD CITY, NC – Ernie Banks once said, “Let’s play two.” Fortunately, the Marlins were able to do just that.
Game 1 went Wilmington’s way by a score of 6-1. But Game 2 was a different story. The Marlins took down the Sharks, 6-3, evening the Golden Chumbucket Series at five apiece.
Game 1 was a rough start for Morehead City, giving up four runs in the top of the first inning. Zack Budzik opened the scoring, driving in Trotter Harlan via an RBI single. Taber Mongero, Budzik and Makarewicz would all score on wild pitches after the RBI single. Wilmington its fifth run in the third, thanks to Budzik scoring off an infield error. The Sharks would answer their own calling once again, as Kevin Gsell drove in Budzik on an RBI groundout. The Marlins’ only run came from Joe Mason, scoring on a wild pitch in the bottom of the seventh.
Morehead City racked up only five hits in Game 1, but two of them came off the bat of Justin Johnson (Lafayette). The middle infielder went two for three in three plate appearances, hitting two singles.
In Game 2, it was the other way around.
The Marlins scored five runs in the bottom of the third inning. Justin Johnson kept his good night going, hitting a 2-run home run to left center. Conner VanCleave (Pitt State) extended the Marlin lead with a bases loaded walk, Gibson Krzeminski (Canisius) would follow with an RBI sacrifice bunt and Robbie O’Neal (UNC Greensboro) pulled through after Krzeminski, drawing another bases loaded walk. Jack Harris kept it going in the bottom of the fourth, hitting a solo home run to left field for the sixth run for the Marlins.
The Sharks answered back in the 5th with a 3-run double from Andrew Ciufo off Seguin, but Logan Campbell (Charleston-WV) came in to shut the door the rest of the way to earn his first win of the summer.
“I’m going to be honest, I was really unhappy with how we came out in game one,” said Marlins head coach Jesse Lancaster. “We were flat, and guys didn’t look like they wanted to be here. I was really impressed with how we responded in game two after being out here since 3:00 in the heat. It was impressive and I’m happy with it.”
The Marlins finish the first half of the CPL season 14-8 and in 2nd place in the CPL East. After an off day tomorrow, they start the second half right back at home against the Sharks on Tuesday night at 7:05 PM.