One big inning was the difference on Tuesday night, as the Wilmington Sharks (9-4) fell to the visiting Morehead City Marlins 5-3 in CPL South Division action.

The Sharks, who came into the night with a half-game lead over the Fayetteville Swampdogs for first place in the CPL South Division, will remain a half-game up after Fayetteville fell to the Outer Banks Daredevils on the road.

Chris O'Grady struck out eight batters but took the loss on Tuesday night.

Wilmington saw the Marlins (8-7) plate four runs in the fifth inning which featured a couple of tough-luck plays be the difference.

Up one run, Morehead City tallied five hits in the fifth, four of which never left the infield. The Marlins sent nine batters to the plate in the inning.

The Sharks responded with two runs of their own in the bottom of the fifth, when Jeff Moyer singled, Alex Freedman walked and Jacob Leonardo singled to load the bases with no one out.

Scott Coleman stepped in and grounded into a double play, but Moyer scored to put the Sharks on the scoreboard. Now with two outs and one runner on, Justyn Carter lined a double down the first base line to bring home Freedman and pull Wilmington to within three at 5-2.

The game remained that way until the bottom of the ninth, when Ricardo Lizcano leadoff the inning with a walk and Jake Mayers followed by reaching on an error. With two on and no outs, Daniel Aldrich popped up into foul territory before Moyer hit a sacrifice fly that brought home Lizcano. Freedman ended the game one batter later when he grounded out.

The Sharks finished with only five hits, two coming from Carter, who also drew a walk and had an RBI in the loss. Moyer, Leonardo and Coleman each had a hit apiece, while Freedman drew two walks.

Sharks starter Chris O’Grady (2-2) was saddled with the tough-luck loss, going six innings and striking out eight Marlins, but gave up five runs on nine hits.

The Sharks and Marlins play again on Wednesday night, this time in Morehead City, before the Sharks return home to host the Catawba Valley Stars on another Fat Tony’s Thirsty Thursday.

Three Wilmington Sharks All-Stars fell on the wrong side of the outcome in the 2011 Coastal Plain League All-Star Game in Fayetteville on Monday night, falling 3-2.

Sharks 2011 All-Stars Jake Mayers, Justyn Carter and Daniel Aldrich.

The Sharks’ All-Stars all played in the game, with Jake Mayers starting at third base for the American team and tally a hit in his two at-bats. Daniel Aldrich played the final three innings of the night and finished 0-for-1, while Justyn Carter came on defensively in the ninth but did not have a plate appearance.

Morehead City first baseman Zach Stephens connected on a deep home run to left in the top of the ninth to score two and give the National All-Stars the win over the American All-Stars.

With the game scoreless in the bottom of the third, Thomasville’s Patrick Koontz led off with a triple to right-center field off Edenton’s Brooks Fiala. One out later, Fayetteville’s Eric Grabe brought Koontz home for the first run of the game off an RBI-single to left. Wilmington’s Jake Mayers connected on a two-out single to short to put runners at first and second for the American squad. Forest City’s Axel Johnson then scored Grabe off a RBI-single up the middle, giving the Americans a 2-0 lead after three.

The National All-Stars answered right back in the top of the fourth. Edenton’s Ryan Brenner walked to lead the inning off. He stole second and then advanced to third on a fly out by Martinsville’s Anthony Nunziato. With two outs, Morehead City’s Chase McDonald singled up the middle off of Fayetteville’s Cody Davis to score Brenner and make it 2-1 American All-Stars.

Trailing 2-1 and down to their last three outs in the top of the ninth, the Nationals got on base with a leadoff single by Edenton’s Brian Blasik. Then, Stephens hit a bomb to left for two RBIs and to give the National All-Stars their first lead of the game at 3-2.

Wilson’s Tony Wieber took the mound for the National All-Stars in the bottom of the ninth to try and close the door.  Wieber walked one of four batters he faced, retiring the others to earn the save and seal a 3-2 victory for the National CPL All-Stars.

Edenton’s Jordan Egan, who pitched a hitless eighth with a strikeout, earned the win. Meanwhile, Gastonia’s Derek Epps was charged with the loss.

After the game, the CPL honored the 2011 Rawlings Coastal Plain League Offensive and Defensive Players of the All-Star Game as voted upon by the media in attendance. Stephens was selected as the Offensive Player of the All-Star Game after going 1-for-2 with a home run, two RBIs and a run scored. Meanwhile, Morehead City’s Shawn Armstrong was named the Defensive Player of the All-Star Game after pitching one inning of hitless baseball and striking out three.

Sunday night, the Sharks’ Aldrich defeated Johnson in the 2011 CPL All-Star Home Run Derby. Aldrich tied the CPL record for most home runs with 18 for 50 points to be crowned the champion.

Jake Mayers started at third base and tallied one hit on Monday night.

Ties Derby Record

Daniel Aldrich and CPL Commissioner Pete Bock with the 2011 CPL Home Run Derby trophy.

The Wilmington Sharks of the Coastal Plain League are proud to announce that Daniel Aldrich won the 2011 Rawlings CPL Home Run Derby with 18 home runs in Fayetteville on Sunday night.

Aldrich added to his already long list of accomplishments by adding 2011 Rawlings Coastal Plain League Home Run Derby Champion to his resume Sunday night when he totaled 50 points off of 18 total home runs.

Already with 2011 National Freshman of the Year honors under his belt and winner of the 2011 TD Amaritrade Home Run Derby in Omaha earlier in July, Aldrich did not disappoint, blasting 18 total homers over the three rounds in Fayetteville for the win.

Aldrich’s 18 homers tied him for the most home runs in CPL Home Run Derby history with another Wilmington Shark – Dusty Bensko – who hit 18 homers in the 2004 Derby in Forence, S.C.

As was the case in Omaha, Aldrich had his dad, Charles, throwing to him. The duo out-did their Omaha total of 14 homers with the display on Sunday night.

Having already wrapped up the title before hitting in the Championship, Aldrich chased history in his final 10 outs, deciding to take five outs worth of swings with the wood bat and five outs with the aluminum bat.

With wooden bat homers worth three points and aluminum bat homers good for one point, Aldrich finished with a total of 50 points – 16 points from wooden bats and two from the aluminum bat.

The closest challenger to Aldrich was from Forest City’s Axel Johnson, who finished with 11 total homers worth 33 points.

The All-Star festivities wrap up on Monday, when 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 2011 CPL All-Star game is set for a 7:05 first pitch.

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.

Daniel Aldrich blasts one of his 18 home runs on Sunday night.