HOLLY SPRINGS, N.C. – For a college baseball player, it doesn’t get any better than making the trip to Omaha, that is unless you find yourself in the championship of the College World Series.
For 14 Coastal Plain League alums that are members of the South Carolina Gamecocks baseball team, the dream of being on a National Championship team is one win away.
Highlighting the list of former CPL players is Blake Cooper (Columbia, 2007), who was brilliant on the mound for head coach Ray Tanner Monday night as the Gamecocks took game one of the CWS championship series 7-1 over UCLA. The Bruins had not been able to sniff Cooper through eight innings; and the senior right-hander faced three batters in the ninth. When his night was over, Cooper surrendered just one run on three hits, while walking one and striking out an impressive 10.
When Tanner pulled his starter in the ninth, he turned to another CPL alum, John Taylor (Florence, 2009), to finish what Cooper had started. With the bases loaded, the junior right-hander took the mound with confidence and immediately got UCLA pinch-hitter Trevor Brown to hit into a 4-6-3 double play. The Bruins scored their only run of the game off the double play, but with two outs now and the bases clear, Taylor focused on Justin Uribe, who flied out to right for the last out of the game.
Other CPL alums that played in game one last night include Scott Wingo (Gastonia, 2008 / Columbia, 2009) and Kyle Enders (Gastonia, 2006 / Spartanburg, 2007). Wingo went 1-for-4 with two runs scored, while Enders was 1-for-5.
In addition to the 13 players, South Carolina assistant coach Sammy Esposito also played in the Coastal Plain League with the Durham Braves in 2000 while playing college baseball for N.C. State.
The complete list of 2010 Gamecocks with CPL ties is listed below:
Players
Parker Bangs – Fayetteville, 2007-08
Brison Celek – Columbia, 2010
Blake Cooper – Columbia, 2007
Kyle Enders – Gastonia, 2006 / Spartanburg, 2007
Colby Holmes – Florence, 2010
Logan Munson – Florence, 2008
Steven Neff – Florence, 2009
Jordan Propst – Thomasville, 2009
Patrick Sullivan – Columbia, 2009 / Edenton, 2010
John Taylor – Florence, 2009
Tyler Webb – Columbia, 2010
Jake Williams – Outer Banks, 2010
Scott Wingo – Gastonia, 2008 / Columbia, 2009
Coach
Sammy Esposito – Durham, 2000
Game two of the CWS championship is tonight at 7:30 p.m. on ESPN.
The Coastal Plain League is the nation’s hottest summer collegiate baseball league. Celebrating its 14th 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 and past experiences have been very positive for both players and hosts. Furthermore, the CPL has had over 800 alumni drafted and 36 alums make their Major League debut thus far. For more information on the Coastal Plain League, please visit the league web site at http://www.coastalplain.com.