Part of 2011 CPL All-Star Festivities

 The Wilmington Sharks of the Coastal Plain League have announced that 2011 CPL All-Star Daniel Aldrich has been selected to participate in the All-Star Home Run Derby as part of the 2011 All-Star festivities on Sunday night, July 17.

Daniel Aldrich is one of 16 CPL All-Stars in the Home Run Derby.

Aldrich will be one of eight players from the American team that will take on eight players from the National squad in the contest.

The Home Run Derby consists of three rounds with eight outs per round in the first two rounds before a 10-out final round where players can use aluminum bats for up to two outs per round. Home runs with wood bats are worth three points, while those homers with aluminum bats are only worth one point each.

After Round 1, the top three hitters from both teams will advance to Round 2, where the top two hitters overall will advance to Round 3. In the Final Round, the hitter with the most points, combined from Rounds 1-3, is crowned the 2011 Champion.

Aldrich, who plays collegiately at the College of Charleston, was named 2011 National Freshman of the Year and also recently won the 2011 College Home Run Derby on July 2.

He leads the Sharks with 28 RBIs through July 14, while his three home runs and seven doubles are tied for the most on the team.

The Fayetteville SwampDogs, in conjunction with the Coastal Plain League, will host the All-Star Game and festivities beginning on Sunday, July 17 and running through Monday, July 18. Game time is set for 7:05 p.m. on July 18. On Sunday, players will participate in the CPL All-Star Fan Fest before the 2011 CPL Home Run Derby Sunday night. Monday, the CPL All-Stars will do a variety of events, including making a visit to Fort Bragg Army base in Fayetteville, before the All-Star game on Monday night.

The Wilmington Sharks are members of Coastal Plain League, the nation’s hottest summer collegiate baseball league.  Celebrating its 15^th season, The Coastal Plain League features 15 teams playing in North Carolina, South Carolina and Virginia.  The CPL gives college players the chance to refine their skills with the use of wooden bats.  Players are housed with local host families for the summer.  The CPL has had over 700 alumni drafted and 35 alums make their Major League debut thus far.  For more information on the Coastal Plain League, please visit the league website at www.coastalplain.com.

The Wilmington Sharks (7-3) used a pair of three-run home runs to take down the visiting Morehead City Marlins (5-6) in CPL South Division action Thursday night inside the Shark Tank.

Russ Stupienski had one of the Sharks' two three-run homers in the win Thursday night.

The Sharks used a Russ Stupienski three-run blast in the fourth inning to take a 4-1 lead only to see the Marlins come back and take a one run lead in the top of the fifth.

Kenny Bryant gave the Sharks the lead for good in the bottom of the fifth with his own three-run shot before Wilmington added one final insurance run in the bottom of the sixth.

Only one Shark batter recorded a two-hit night, Alex Freedman, but the Sharks tallied a hit apiece from seven other players in the win.

Justyn Carter and Ricardo Lizcano each had an RBI while Bryant and Stupienski tallied three RBIs thanks to their homers.

Carter and the Sharks opened the scoring in the bottom of the first when he singled and stole second base before advancing to third and Lizcano promptly singled him home for the early lead.

Morehead City took over the lead in the third when they plated two runs off four hits before Stupienski’s homer in the fourth gave the Sharks the 4-2 lead.

After taking the lead, the Sharks gave it right back in the top of the fifth when the Marlins plated three run to take a one run advantage.

Bryant gave Wilmington the lead for good in the bottom of the fifth with his three-run homer.

Both Stupienski’s and Brynat’s homers came with two outs in the inning.

The Sharks added the night’s final run in the sixth when Freedman opened the inning with a single before scoring on Carter’s sacrifice fly three batters later.

Stephen Vaughan made his first appearance of the season out of the bullpen for the Sharks and picked up win No. 3 on the summer after tossing two innings and allowing only one hit for the Marlins.

Ross Whitley struck out two of the three batters he faced in the ninth for his sixth save of the season.

Wilmington closes out its four-game homestand on Friday night when they welcome the Martinsville Mustangs to town on Coca-Cola Sharky Sharks bobblehead night at the Shark Tank. Gates open at 6 p.m. with first pitch scheduled for 7:05.

Wilmington Sharks players are heading out into the community throughout this week, highlighted by visits to two local car dealerships.

On Thursday at noon, Sharks players will be at Stevenson Mazda on Market St. signing autographs and talking baseball at the dealership until 1 p.m.

On Friday, from 2-3 p.m., Sharks players and Sharky the Shark will be at Jeff Gordon Chevrolet on S. College Road.

Head out into the Wilmington community and hang out with the Sharks before seeing them in action on the field, playing at home inside the Shark Tank when they host Morehead City Thursday and Martinsville on Friday. Both games have 7:05 first pitches with the gates opening at 6 p.m.