By By BRIAN HAINES, Sports Writer
The Senior Babe Ruth Coastal Plain 18U all-stars stand one win away from locking down a state title as the crew cruises into the championship game on Monday having a perfect 3-0 record so far during the double-elimination tournament.
The Coastal Plain all-stars feature local standouts Jake Duke, Will Swain, Michael Robinson, Brandon Thomas, Josh Greenhaul, Caleb Hines and Christian Leggett.
Duke, Swain, Robinson and Thomas all hail from Washington, while Greenhaul and Hines are from Bear Grass and Leggett is from Williamston.
The team opened up the all-star tournament on Thursday at C.B. Aycock High School, the host site of the tourney, and topped the Triangle all-stars 7-2.
Robinson pitched three innings to get the win, while Austin Bowden threw four innings out of the pen.
On Friday, Coastal Plain took on Crystal Coast and squeaked out a 3-2 victory. Hines pitched five innings to earn the win, while Robinson pitched the final two innings for the save.
Coastal Plain coach Joe Duke said Robinson has been extremely effective this week.
“Michael has just been on,” Duke said. “His pitches have been working and his control has been real good, but the kids have been playing solid defense behind him.”
The team had all phases of its game working on Saturday as it rolled past Albemarle 11-1 in five innings. Bowden, the starting pitcher, earned the win for the Coastal Plain all-stars.
“The group has worked extremely hard is very happy to be where they are right now,” Duke said. “The kids have played fantastic defense and each player has produced and contributed when called upon.”
Coastal Plain will look to capture a state title on Monday when it goes back to C.B. Aycock to play either Albemarle or Triangle at 5 p.m.
If the all-stars can come away with a win, they will advance to the regional championship tourney held in Tennessee at the end of the month.