BASEBALL
Pilots swept in CPL playoffs
A memorable Peninsula Pilots season ended Monday night in a frustrating playoff exit as the host Wilmington Sharks completed a two-game East Division final sweep with a 4-2 victory before 1,100 fans in southeastern North Carolina.
The Pilots came into the Coastal Plain League’s Petitt Cup playoffs with a league-best 34-13 record and were the East’s best in both halves of the season, but they had just three hits — all singles — in both of their postseason games.
Wilmington (26-19 in the regular season) advanced to the best-of-three CPL championship series against the West Division series victor, either Lexington County or Forest City.
Peninsula drew eight walks Monday but struck out 15 times against five Wilmington pitchers. Six of those bases on balls were issued by winner Nick Boyle, who struck out seven in 1/3 innings. Thomas Paxton and Greyson Linderman combined to strike out five without allowing a hit in the final two innings.
Pilots starter Brian Ereu took the loss, giving up four runs — two earned — and four hits in four innings.
Cam Hassert scored on a balk in the second inning, and Cam Suto clubbed a two-run homer in the third for a 3-0 lead.
In the top of the fifth, the Pilots’ Kyle Edwards walked, advanced on two wild pitches and scored on Trey Morgan’s sacrifice fly. The Sharks answered back in the bottom of the fifth as Drew Sturgeon walked and came home on Dylan Jeffries’ double.
Jevin Relaford’s single brought home Carlos Pena in the seventh to make the score 4-2, but reliever Billy Hoffacker struck out Grayson Fitzwater, one of the CPL’s top players, with runners on second and third to end the inning.
COLLEGE FOOTBALL
Area players named Preseason All-Americans
Several players with area connections gained Stats Perform FCS Preseason All-America honors.
William & Mary offensive lineman Charles Grant and fellow Churchland High graduate Kenny Gallop Jr., a Howard defensive back, were on the first team. So was New Hampshire defensive lineman Josiah Silver, a former Phoebus High standout.
Richmond wide receiver Nick DeGennaro and punter Aaron Trusler also were on the first team.
The second team included W&M running back Bronson Yoder.
COLLEGE MEN’S BASKETBALL
Tribe reveals 13-game non-league schedule
First-year William & Mary coach Brian Earl announced a 13-game non-conference schedule that features five home contests, highlighted by a Dec. 18 matchup with Richmond, and five games against teams that played in the postseason last year, including four league champions.
The schedule in Kaplan Arena features Norfolk State (Nov. 12) and Navy (Dec. 29). The road slate includes trips to ACC Tournament champion N.C. State (Nov. 22) and Sun Belt regular-season Champion Appalachian State (Nov. 24), along with matchups at Old Dominion (Dec. 2) and VCU (Dec. 22).
W&M opens the season Nov. 4, against Division III Dickinson of Carlisle, Pennsylvania. The Tribe expects to have seven returnees and seven newcomers.
PRO BASKETBALL
Ex-Liberty star signs with German team
Former Liberty Flames standout Darius McGhee has inked his second pro contract, signing with Telekom Baskets Bonn in Germany for the 2024-25 season.
McGhee spent the 2023-24 season playing for the Indiana Mad Ants of the NBA G League. He averaged 7.1 points, 1.2 rebounds and 2.4 assists per game in 37 G League contests.
COLLEGE MEN’S TENNIS
JMU player from Virginia Beach gains academic honor
Harrison Lee of Virginia Beach was one of three James Madison men’s tennis players to gain Intercollegiate Tennis Association Scholar-Athlete honors, and the Dukes earned All-Academic Team status. Individuals need at least a 3.5 grade-point average to be a Scholar-Athlete, and the team needs a cumulative 3.2 or better for the year.
Lee, a Princess Anne High graduate, won the 2022 VHSL Class 5 singles championship.
