Coastal Plain League
| Sport | Baseball |
|---|---|
| Founded | 1997 |
| No. of teams | 15 (16 in 2018) |
| Country |
 United States |
| Most recent champion(s) | Savannah Bananas (2016) |
| Most titles | High Point Thomasville HiToms, Edenton Steamers (3) |
| Official website | www.coastalplain.com |
The Coastal Plain League (CPL) is a wood-bat collegiate summer league, featuring college players recruited from throughout the nation. The league takes its name from a Class D minor league baseball league which operated in the same area from 1937 to 1952.[1] The modern 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 2016 addition of the Savannah Bananas being the most recent addition.[3][4] Macon, Georgia will field a Coastal Plain League team beginning in 2018.[5]
History
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 this and the Coastal Plain league began play for the 1997 season.[6]
Past champions
Petitt Cup years
| Year | Pettit Cup Winner | Runner-Up | Series Result | East Division winner | West Division winner |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | Forest City |
| 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 | Forest City |
| 2009 | Forest City | Peninsula | 2 games to 0 | Peninsula | Wilson | Forest City |
| 2008 | Thomasville | Florence | 7-4 | Edenton | Florence | Thomasville |
| 2007 | Thomasville | Peninsula | 4-3 | Edenton | Fayetteville | Thomasville |
| 2006 | Thomasville | Peninsula | 6-1 | Edenton | Fayetteville | Martinsville |
| 2005 | Edenton | Florence | 9-1 | Edenton | Fayetteville | Spartanburg |
| 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[7] | 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 | Rocky Mount | Wilmington | |
| 1997 | Raleigh | Wilson | 2 games to 0 | Raleigh | Wilson |
Teams
Former teams
- Raleigh Red Wolves (1997, moved to Florence)
- Rocky Mount Rockfish (1997–98)
- Durham Braves (1997–2000, renamed Durham Americans)
- Durham Americans (2001–03, formerly Durham Braves)
- Spartanburg Stingers (2003–07, moved to Forest City)
- New Bern River Rats (2005–07, relocated franchise to Morehead City in 2010)
- Outer Banks Daredevils (1997–2011)
- Petersburg Generals (2000-2016, relocated to Macon in 2018
Future teams
- Macon (2018)
References
- ↑ Baseball Reference Coastal Plain League History
- ↑ Keith Parsons, AP Sports, July 18, 2005
- ↑ "Savannah Baseball Announces Team Name and Unveils Logo". Coastal Plain League. February 25, 2016. Retrieved February 25, 2016.
- ↑ College baseball league to replace Sand Gnats at WTOC.com, July 23, 2015
- ↑ "COASTAL PLAIN LEAGUE ANNOUNCES EXPANSION INTO MACON, GEORGIA FOR 2018 SEASON". Retrieved 26 July 2017.
- ↑ Today’s CPL at coastalplain.com, URL accessed November 24, 2009. Archived 11/24/09
- ↑ http://www.researchtriangle.org/pages.php?page1=52&page2=106&page3=115&page_id=115