For the third straight CPL season, the Marlins find themselves in the Petitt Cup Championship Series. The Fish are trying to become the second team in the 25-year history of the Coastal Plain League to win three straight championships, the first was High Point-Thomasville from 2006-08.
Morehead City won the Petitt Cup Championship in both 2018 and 2019, and the Petitt Cup was not awarded in 2020 due to the pandemic.
This year, the Marlins take on the Savannah Bananas in the Championship Series after Savannah went 36-8 in the CPL regular season, by far the best record in the league. The Marlins have five returners on the 2021 squad that have won rings before. The Marlins swept the Peninsula Pilots in the first round and the Bananas beat the HiToms in three games after losing game one at home. Savannah holds home field advantage in the Championship Series and will host games 2 and 3 (if necessary).
NOTES –
- MHC hosts game one tonight. The Fish have been virtually unbeatable at home the last two seasons, going 45-5 in their last 50 home games dating back to 2019. The Marlins are 19-3 in the friendly confines of Big Rock Stadium in 2021.
- Marlins head coach Jesse Lancaster is a two-time CPL Coach of the Year (2018-19).
- Jack Harris (Newberry) has 16 home runs to lead the CPL. He is a returning champion Marlin from 2019.
- The Marlins hit 6 home runs offensively and only issued 2 walks on the mound in the two game sweep of Peninsula.
- Savannah is the only team in the CPL with a team ERA under 4. The Bananas’ team ERA this season was an astounding 2.55.
- Savannah led the CPL in stolen bases in the regular season with 116. The Bananas only hit 28 home runs this season, and will look to pressure pitching and defense by bunting a lot and being very aggressive on the base paths.
- The Marlins won the inaugural Golden Chumbucket series against the Wilmington Sharks 11-7 this season.
- The Marlins beat the HiToms in the Championship Series in 2018, and defeated the Macon Bacon in the 2019 Championship. Both titles were won at Big Rock Stadium. If the Fish were to win this year, it would be at Grayson Stadium in Savannah.
- Conner VanCleave (Pitt State) led the Marlins in batting average this season, hitting .343. The lefty also hit 7 home runs and had 29 RBIs.
- Justin Kleinsorge (Regis) finished 3rd in the CPL East in ERA with a 2.95 mark.
- Jon Vore (Butler) tied for the CPL East lead in pitching wins with four.
- Two former 2021 Marlins signed professional contracts this summer, coincidentally, both signed with the Minnesota Twins. Johnathan Lavallee (Long Beach State) was drafted in the 16th round by Minnesota, and Logan Campbell (Charleston-WV) signed a free agent deal.