For the second night in a row the Wilmington Sharks (10-7) fell to a CPL Western Division foe, this time the Asheboro Copperheads (8-12) on Sunday night. After collecting only four hits in their loss Saturday, the Sharks tallied only five hits against Asheboro, losing 2-1 in an epic pitching duel.

Despite their second loss in as many days, the Sharks kept their hold on first place in the CPL South Division, with Morehead City having an off day on Sunday and remaining in second place and the Fayetteville Swampdogs being stuck in third place by virtue of a loss to Columbia in Fayetteville Sunday night.

Daniel Aldrich was the only player in either dugout to have two hits in the Sharks' loss Sunday night.

Asheboro was held to just three hits by Sharks starter Jake Mayers (2-2), who tossed seven innings and struck out five Copperheads batters while walking just three and allowing both runs to score.

Starter Chuck Fontana (3-5) was equally as impressive, going 6.1 innings and allowing four Sharks hits and three walks while striking out seven and allowing the lone Wilmington run in the fifth inning.

The run came off the bat of Sharks catcher Eric Mayers, who sent the solo shot over the left field wall to open the top of the fifth and tie the game at that point.

Asheboro, who opened the scoring in the bottom of the first, took the lead for good in the bottom of the sixth.

Daniel Aldrich was the only hitter on either team to record a multiple-hit night, finishing 2-for-4, while Alex Freedman, Jeff Moyer and Eric Mayers each finished with one hit each for the Sharks.

Asheboro scored in the bottom of the first off of one hit and one Sharks error, but Jake Mayers pitched out of the jam and got the final two outs on the inning and left the bases loaded.

After Eric Mayers solo homer tied the game in the fifth, Asheboro’s Jacob Wilson doubled to open the bottom of the sixth before advancing to third one batter later before scoring on a sacrifice fly to center field to score the eventual winning run.

The Sharks return home on Monday night, as they host the Florence RedWolves in a CPL South Division doubleheader with the first game set to begin at 6:05 with the gates opening at 5 p.m.  as they gear up for the final nine days of the 2011 CPL regular season that will see them playing 11 games over that span.