Raleigh Now Spotlight: Coastal Plain League

HEY NOW, YOU’RE AN ALL-STAR
Collegiate summer baseball league stars play in Holly Springs


by Jessie Ammons
photograph courtesy of Coastal Plain League

 

Summer break for a college athlete means keeping up your game. For baseball players, it often involves playing for a local summer league like the Coastal Plain League. The league’s 2017 All-Star Game in Holly Springs July 9 – 10 gives local fans a chance to watch the best.

The annual face-off features two teams made up of players from each of the league’s 15 teams: The Coastal Plain League includes collegiate summer teams throughout the Carolinas and Virginia, including the Holly Springs Salamanders, Fayetteville Swampdogs, and Gastonia Grizzlies. These players, who compete for their respective universities during the school year and join their CPL teams from May to August, are chosen for the annual All-Star game by coaches and fans. 

This year is the Salamanders’ first time hosting the All-Star weekend, and the town will welcome the opportunity to show off its North Main Athletic Complex. You can check it out and meet the all-star players during a fan fest July 9 before they take to the field for a fun home run derby. Monday July 10 is the big day, where a local luncheon leads up to the East-vs.-West baseball game. The top-notch showdown is entertaining for local fans, but for the players, it’s high-stakes ball: The weekend is a key scouting opportunity for players with Major League aspirations.