Coastal Plain League

For other uses, see Coastal Plain League (disambiguation).
Coastal Plain League
SportBaseball
Founded1997
No. of teams15
Country United States
Most recent
champion(s)		Wilmington Sharks (2024)
Most titlesHigh Point-Thomasville HiToms, Edenton Steamers, Savannah Bananas, Wilmington Sharks (3)
Official websitecoastalplain.com

The Coastal Plain League (CPL) is a wood-bat collegiate summer baseball league, featuring college players recruited from throughout the nation. The league takes its name from the Class D level Coastal Plain League which operated in the area from 1937 to 1952.[1]

History

The modern Coastal Plain League was formed with six teams in 1997.[2] The league has expanded over the years with teams across North Carolina, South Carolina, Virginia, and Georgia, with the 2024 addition of the Greenville Yard Gnomes being the most recent expansion, bringing the league to 15 teams.[3][4]

Founding

The league was founded in 1997 by Pete Bock. Bock conceived the idea in the early 1990s while traveling long distances to the Valley Baseball League in Virginia to see his son, Jeff, play summer baseball. Bock, an experienced sports executive, wanted a collegiate summer league closer to his home. He acted on it and the Coastal Plain league began play for the 1997 season.[5]

Teams

Coastal Plain League[6]
East Division
Team City Stadium Year founded
Greenville Yard Gnomes Greenville, North Carolina Guy Smith Stadium 2024
Holly Springs Salamanders Holly Springs, North Carolina Ting Stadium 2015
Morehead City Marlins Morehead City, North Carolina O'Neal Field at Big Rock Stadium 2010
Peninsula Pilots Hampton, Virginia War Memorial Stadium 2000
Tri-City Chili Peppers Colonial Heights, Virginia Shepherd Stadium 2020
Wilmington Sharks Wilmington, North Carolina Buck Hardee Field at Legion Stadium 1997
Wilson Tobs Wilson, North Carolina Fleming Stadium 1997
West Division
Team City Stadium Year founded
Asheboro ZooKeepers Asheboro, North Carolina McCrary Park 1999
Boone Bigfoots Boone, North Carolina Jim and Bettie Smith Stadium 2021 (joined 2023)
Florence Flamingos Florence, South Carolina Carolina Bank Field 1997
Forest City Owls Forest City, North Carolina McNair Field 2008
High Point-Thomasville HiToms Thomasville, North Carolina Finch Field 1999
Lexington County Blowfish Lexington, South Carolina Lexington County Baseball Stadium 2006
Macon Bacon Macon, Georgia Luther Williams Field 2018
Martinsville Mustangs Martinsville, Virginia Hooker Field 2005

Former teams

Past champions

Petitt Cup years

Year Pettit Cup Winner Runner-up Series Result East Division winner West Division winner
2023 Lexington County Wilmington 2 games to 1 Morehead City Lexington County
2022 Savannah Wilson 2 games to 0 Morehead City Savannah
2021 Savannah Morehead City 2 games to 1 Peninsula Savannah
Year Pettit Cup Winner Runner-up Series Result North Division winner South Division winner East Division winner West Division winner
2019 Morehead City Macon 2 games to 1 Wilson Savannah Morehead City Gastonia
2018 Morehead City Thomasville 2 games to 0 Peninsula Savannah Morehead City Thomasville
Year Pettit Cup Winner Runner-up Series Result East Division winner West Division winner
2017 Gastonia Wilmington 2 games to 0 Wilmington Forest City
2016 Savannah Peninsula 2 games to 1 Peninsula Forest City
2015 Edenton Gastonia 2 games to 0 Edenton Asheboro
2014 Peninsula Florence 2 games to 1 Peninsula Florence
2013 Peninsula Columbia 2 games to 0 Edenton Asheboro
2012 Columbia Fayetteville 2 games to 1 Edenton Martinsville
Year Pettit Cup Winner Runner-up Series Result North Division winner South Division winner West Division winner
2011 Gastonia Edenton 2 games to 1 Edenton Fayetteville Thomasville
2010 Forest City Edenton 2 games to 1 Wilson Morehead City Gastonia
2009 Forest City Peninsula 2 games to 0 Peninsula Wilson Forest City
2008 Thomasville Florence 7–4 Peninsula Wilson Thomasville
2007 Thomasville Peninsula 4–3 Edenton Fayetteville Thomasville
2006 Thomasville Peninsula 6–1 Peninsula Fayetteville Martinsville
2005 Edenton Florence 9–1 Edenton Florence Gastonia
2004 Edenton Outer Banks 13–2 Edenton Wilson Thomasville
2003 Outer Banks Florence 7–2 Petersburg Durham Thomasville
2002 Outer Banks Petersburg 10–6 Outer Banks Wilmington Gastonia

Playoff seedings based on overall record, so division champions listed are based on overall record.

Pre-Petitt Cup

Year Winner Runner-up Series Result North Division winner South Division winner
2001 Durham[12] Wilson Wilson Fayetteville
2000 Petersburg Asheboro Petersburg Asheboro
Year Winner Runner-up Series Result First Half winner Second Half winner
1999 Wilmington Outer Banks Wilmington Outer Banks
1998 Wilmington Rocky Mount Wilmington Rocky Mount
1997 Raleigh Wilson 2 games to 0 Raleigh Wilson

References

  1. ^ "Coastal Plain League (D) Encyclopedia and History". Baseball-Reference.com.
  2. ^ Parsons, Keith (July 18, 2005). "CPL not just a Cape Cod imitation". The Daily Advance. Associated Press. Archived from the original on May 12, 2006.
  3. ^ Reichard, Kevin (October 5, 2023). "CPL Greenville team on tap for Guy Smith Stadium". Ballpark Digest. August Publications. Retrieved January 27, 2024.
  4. ^ Reichard, Kevin (January 24, 2024). "New for 2024: Greenville Yard Gnomes". Ballpark Digest. August Publications. Retrieved January 27, 2024.
  5. ^ "Today's CPL". coastalplain.com. Archived from the original on August 3, 2009. Retrieved November 24, 2009.
  6. ^ "Coastal Plain League Unveils 2024 Schedule". Coastal Plain League (Press release). September 28, 2023. Retrieved October 5, 2023.
  7. ^ Spedden, Zach (October 4, 2019). "SwampDogs Leaving Fayetteville, Will Sit Out 2020". Ballpark Digest. August Publications. Retrieved February 18, 2020.
  8. ^ Hughes, Joe (October 22, 2020). "'The roar is gone': Grizzlies bolt south for new name, fresh start". The Gaston Gazette. Retrieved November 27, 2020.
  9. ^ "City introduces newest baseball franchise 'The Spartanburgers'". WSPA-TV. February 18, 2021. Retrieved February 18, 2021.
  10. ^ "Despite postponed season, Spartanburgers coach, city believe in future of CPL baseball". Spartanburg Herald-Journal. March 4, 2022. Retrieved June 25, 2022.
  11. ^ Dominitz, Nathan (August 24, 2022). "Savannah Bananas fold collegiate team, focus on taking Banana Ball nationwide". Savannah Morning News. Retrieved August 30, 2022.
  12. ^ "RTRP: Sports". researchtriangle.org. Research Triangle Regional Partnership. Archived from the original on May 4, 2007. Retrieved May 24, 2010. The Americans have found success in recent years, including a league championship in winning the 2001 Petit Cup (as the Durham Braves).


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