High Point-Thomasville and Asheboro Clash Twice on Monday Night
High Point/Thomasville, NC – In a battle of the most powerful offenses in the Coastal Plain League, the 5-1 High Point-Thomasville HiToms host the 3-6 Asheboro Copperheads in a doubleheader on Monday Night. First pitch of the two seven-inning doubleheaders is at 5:00 p.m. with game two scheduled thirty minutes after the conclusion of game one.
The Copperheads and HiToms have the best two slugging percentages in the CPL through the first two weeks of the season. The HiToms are just .003 behind the Asheboro mark of .458 at .455, smashing 15 extra base hits over the first six games of the season. Asheboro has the division lead in home runs (12) and has produced 10+ runs three times in 2020.
The HiToms will attempt to take advantage of an Asheboro pitching staff that has faltered in 2021. The Copperheads have 12 home runs allowed this year, last in the CPL. Troubles with the longball have led to a 6.88 ERA, third worst in the league. On the other side, HP-T has impressed on the mound, producing a 5.20 ERA with solid peripheral numbers. The HiToms K/9 is the lowest in the West Division, tied with the 10-0 Savannah Bananas.
In game one, the HiToms will start third-year HiTom Luke Davis. Davis will be making his first CPL start of the season after three appearances out of the HP-T ‘pen. As a rotation pitcher for the 2019 HP-T HiToms, Davis had a 2.29 ERA in 2019.
In game two, the HiToms start Summerfield native Gavin Mortenson. Mortenson struck out three Owls across three innings in his first start of the season last Friday. At Western Carolina, Mortenson slid directly into the rotation, striking out a batter per inning in his inaugural season. Mortenson helped the Post 87 HiToms win a championship last summer and looks to do the same for the CPL HiToms this summer.
Today’s doubleheader with the 3-4 Asheboro Copperheads begins at 5:00 p.m. Coverage of all 14 innings can be seen at FloBaseball.tv. Tickets are available at the Finch Field Box Office and on our website at hitoms.com.
Courtesy of Shaemus Kreider, HiToms Media Director