The following is a compilation of facts, figures and notable moments from the Morehead City Marlins’ inaugural 2010 season, in which they finished 34-20, earning the No. 3 seed in the Petitt Cup. The team put together a league-best 19-7 mark during the second half, the best winning percentage for any team in the league in either half.

Filling ‘The Rock’

An average of 1,145 local fans came out to support the Marlins at Puck O’Neal Field at Big Rock Stadium for each home game in 2010. Though no crowd surpassed the 2,146 that attended the team’s home opener on June 28, the team saw some of its biggest crowds as the regular season came to a close. Five of the last six – and each of the last three – home dates had crowds larger than the season average.

The Marlins used that home-field advantage to compile a 19-10 record at home during the 2010 regular season. That includes wins on three consecutive nights at The Rock’s opening weekend, as well as a 6-2 mark after the All-Star break as the team pushed to improve its playoff seeding.

The Marlins treated their home crowd to four walk-off wins in 2010. Justyn Carter hit the team’s only walk-off home run – and the first long ball in team history – in a 7-4 win over Columbia on June 5. Nearly two months later, the Marlins put together a remarkable string of three walk-off wins in the span of four nights. Matt Ciraco and Chris Schaeffer each picked up walk-off singles against Florence, while Ciraco’s walk-off sacrifice fly against Wilmington clinched the No. 3 seed heading into the playoffs.

Offense

The Marlins combined to hit .243 during the 2010 season, good for sixth overall in the Coastal Plain League.

The team hit 16 home runs during the regular season, adding four more in their extra-inning win over Edenton in game 2 of their playoff series. Zach Borenstein led the team during the regular season with four homers and hit one in the playoffs, while Chris Schaeffer added three plus two in the postseason and Joe Sclafani was the only Marlin to go deep twice in a game during the regular season Preston Shuey (three), and Justyn Carter (two) also had multiple home runs in 2010.

Sclafani led the team with a .305 batting average and a .409 on-base percentage during the regular season. He tied with Carter for the team lead in runs scored (34) and walked (24) more often than he struck out (26).

Carter led the team and ranked second in the league with 29 stolen bases and was only caught four times. He also hit the first two home runs in team history, in back-to-back at bats between the two games of the team’s June 5 doubleheader against Columbia.

In the season’s final two weeks, Luke Smierciak compiled a nine-game hitting streak, with 15 hits in those nine games. That streak included a performance at home against Fayetteville in which he was a double short of the cycle and hit his first home run as a Marlin. Smierciak’s stretch raised his season average to .263.

Borenstein led the team in home runs (four), doubles (nine) and runs batted in (30). He hit the team’s only grand slam as part of his six-RBI day at Fayetteville on July 6.
Schaeffer and Chad Oberacker – along with Shuey - tied for second on the team with 24 RBIs, compiling those numbers in just 37 and 33 games, respectively.

Shuey was the Marlins’ ironman in 2010, appearing in more games (49) than any other player on the team. He also played outstanding defense at first base all season, committing just one error in 416 chances, a .998 fielding percentage.

Chris Taylor joined the team roughly halfway through the 2010 season but managed to rank tied for third on the squad with nine stolen bases.

Though he only appeared in 28 of the team’s 54 regular-season games, Corey Bass managed to throw out more opposing baserunners (20) than all but one player in the league.

Before injury caused his summer season to end early, Steve Marino hit .301 with a .416 on-base percentage. His presence both in the middle of the Marlins’ order and at third base helped him earn a start in the 2010 CPL All-Star Game.

Pitching

The Marlins finished third in the league with a 3.05 team ERA during 2010. The team allowed 14 home runs, tied with two other teams for fewest in the Coastal Plain League.

Each of the five pitchers who recorded the majority of the team’s starts finished with an ERA below 3.00. Brent Powers led the way among starters with a 1.86 ERA during the regular season.

Brad McAllister and Powers each earned seven wins, tied with Edenton’s Coty Saranthus for most in the CPL.

Powers, Ben White, and Shawn Armstrong each finished in the top five in the league in strikeouts. Armstrong fanned nine in his first appearance for the Marlins, White led the team with 74 and Powers collected 16 strikeouts against Columbia on July 1 – the highest single-game total in the league.

The team’s opening-day starter, Joel Sanchez was one of three Marlins to throw multiple complete games in 2010 (McAllister, Powers). Sanchez’ final appearance with the team was a four-hit shutout against Florence on August 1.

Out of the bullpen, Jeff Guthridge appeared in more games (27) than any other member of the Marlins’ pitching staff. In 27 2/3 innings, the submariner struck out 30 batters and earned four wins in relief.

Ryan Smith and Thomas Girdwood each ranked second with 17 appearances out of the Marlin ‘pen. Smith held opposing hitters to a .221 average, while Girdwood recorded an impressive 34 strikeouts in 18 2/3 innings. Serving as the team’s closer, Girdwood picked up six saves, held opponents to just a .131 average and delivered a four-strikeout performance in the team’s playoff win against Edenton.

Josh Herzenberg finished the season strong for the Marlins. The left-hander threw three scoreless innings of relief against Columbia on July 29. He topped that performance in his final regular-season appearance, striking out five in 3 2/3 scoreless frames against Wilmington on August 2. Herzenberg finished with a 2.50 ERA, second among Morehead City relievers.

Before signing with the Houston Astros at the end of July, Rodney Quintero made four appearances for the Marlins, going 1-1 with a 3.12 ERA.

The Morehead City Marlins are the newest member of the Coastal Plain League. The Coastal Plain League is the nation’s hottest collegiate baseball league. Celebrating its 14th season, the Coastal Plain League features 15 teams playing in North Carolina, South Carolina, and Virginia. The CPL gives players the chance to refine their skills with the use of wooden bats. Players are housed with local host families for the summer and past experiences have been very positive for both players and hosts.

Zander Kean

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