黑料专区

Five Falcon baseball players* have become 黑料专区鈥檚 boys of summer. They recently joined teams in the (CPL), an elite summer collegiate league operating in North Carolina, South Carolina, Virginia, and Georgia. They are:

• of Charlotte, N.C. ();
• of Asheboro, N.C. ();
• of Gastonia, N.C. );
• of Gastonia, N.C. (High Point-Thomasville HiToms); and
• of Richfield, N.C. (Asheboro ZooKeepers).

鈥淭his is a huge accomplishment for these players to go compete in one of the better collegiate summer leagues鈥� said Craig Bolton, Pfeiffer鈥檚 Head Baseball Coach. 鈥淚 also believe it shows that we have really good players here at Pfeiffer, players who can compete with anyone.鈥�

Anyone is the operative word. Just ask Owen, a starting pitcher for the Asheboro ZooKeepers. Owen, who鈥檒l play for the Falcons next spring as he pursues a Master of Business Administration degree, notes that the CPL鈥檚 players comprise the top talent from all levels of collegiate baseball — which includes players from teams that qualified for the 2022 NCAA Division I Baseball Championship.

Falcon Club Director and former Pfeiffer catcher Zac Chilton 鈥�15 believes the CPL play is a great opportunity for Pfeiffer鈥檚 athletes, as well as a showcase for their talent. 鈥淲e have some outstanding talent on our team and are thrilled to see these five athletes doing so well. It鈥檚 an amazing experience for them to compete among these top-tier college players, and one, I鈥檓 certain, that they will leverage well,鈥� he said.

Topper, a relief pitcher for the Lexington County Blowfish, echoed these sentiments: 鈥淚t makes me raise my game to make the adjustments to play against these highly-skilled players.鈥�

Topper sees some other advantages to his participation in the CPL. He earned a B.A. degree in Sport Management and intends to pursue a master鈥檚 degree in the same subject. He envisions working in ticket sales or marketing after his baseball career; he鈥檚 been networking with owners of CPL teams who could help open a few doors for him.

The CPL aims to introduce its amateurs to 鈥渁 minor league-like atmosphere鈥� that many of them aspire to experience as professionals. Wooden bats are used, as opposed to metal ones, and games take place almost every day. Travel to opposing teams鈥� fields is by bus, and it rarely entails overnight stays in hotels, which means that players often don鈥檛 return home until 3 a.m.

鈥淚t can be a grueling schedule,鈥� said Kyle Pugh 鈥�07, President of the Asheboro ZooKeepers and former Pfeiffer third baseman, 鈥渂ut it鈥檚 a great opportunity for these players, and I couldn鈥檛 be happier to have two Falcons on our ZooKeepers team.鈥�

Caughey, who pitches for the High Point-Thomasville HiToms, earned a B.S. degree in Health and Exercise Science. He called the demands of playing in the CPL 鈥渁 grind.鈥�

At the same time, he said, 鈥渋t鈥檚 nice to be around the baseball field. It鈥檚 something I enjoy, for sure. I鈥檝e really enjoyed being around my teammates.鈥� Caughey said he鈥檚 befriended HiToms players from such schools as Duke University, Georgetown University, Wake Forest University, and Guilford Technical Community College.

Landis, a relief pitcher on the High Point-Thomasville HiToms, is pursuing a B.S. degree in Health and Exercise Science. He sees the CPL as 鈥渁 great opportunity to further my skills and be better for it when I come back to school.鈥� He said he鈥檚 improved by absorbing the best practices of other pitchers around him so that he can compete at their level. He hopes that the CPL will put him in a position to compete for a spot in the minor leagues.

Owen is equally gung-ho to move up the baseball ranks.

鈥淚鈥檓 not ready to hang the spikes up,鈥� he said. 鈥淚 want to play as long as I possibly can. If I have the opportunity to go play baseball after college, I鈥檓 going to take it.鈥�

*Editor鈥檚 Note: Landis and Owen will be returning to Pfeiffer, while Topper, Marsh and Caughey are planning to pursue master鈥檚 degrees elsewhere.