The Coastal Plain League (CPL) is a wood-bat collegiate summer baseball league, featuring college players recruited from throughout the United States. The league takes its name from the ClassD level Coastal Plain League which operated in the area from 1937 to 1952.

History The modern CPL was formed with six teams in 1997. The league has expanded over the years with teams across North Carolina, South Carolina, Virginia, and Georgia, with the 2024 addition of the Greenville Yard Gnomes being the most recent expansion, bringing the league to 15 teams. On May 24, 2025, Alexia Jorge became the first woman to play in the CPL, which she did as a catcher for the Holly Springs Salamanders.

Capitol Broadcasting Company purchased the league in 2022.

Founding The league was founded in 1997 by Pete Bock. He 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 it, and the CPL began play for the 1997 season.

Teams

Coastal Plain League East Division Team City Stadium Year founded Greenville Yard Gnomes Greenville, North Carolina Guy Smith Stadium 2024 Holly Springs Salamanders Holly Springs, North Carolina North Main Athletic Complex Stadium 2015 Morehead City Marlins Morehead City, North Carolina O'Neal Field at Big Rock Stadium 2010 Peninsula Pilots Hampton, Virginia War Memorial Stadium 2000 Tri-City Chili Peppers Colonial Heights, Virginia Shepherd Stadium 2020 Wilmington Sharks Wilmington, North Carolina Buck Hardee Field at Legion Stadium 1997 Zebulon Devil Dogz Zebulon, North Carolina Five County Stadium 2026 West Division Team City Stadium Year founded Asheboro ZooKeepers Asheboro, North Carolina McCrary Park 1999 Boone Bigfoots Boone, North Carolina Jim and Bettie Smith Stadium 2021 (joined 2023) Florence Flamingos Florence, South Carolina Carolina Bank Field 1997 Forest City Owls Forest City, North Carolina McNair Field 2008 High Point-Thomasville HiToms Thomasville, North Carolina Finch Field 1999 Lexington County Blowfish Lexington, South Carolina Lexington County Baseball Stadium 2006 Macon Bacon Macon, Georgia Luther Williams Field 2018 Martinsville Mustangs Martinsville, Virginia Hooker Field 2005

Teams on hiatus

The following teams will be on hiatus for the 2026 season:

Team Location Ballpark Capacity Joined Smithfield Tobs Smithfield, North Carolina Smithfield Community Park - 1997 Former teams Raleigh RedWolves (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, renamed Owls) New Bern River Rats (2005–07, moved to Morehead City, renamed Marlins in 2010) Outer Banks Daredevils (1997, 1999–2011, changed leagues) Petersburg Generals (2000–2016) Edenton Steamers (1998–2019, changed leagues) Fayetteville SwampDogs (2001–2019) Gastonia Grizzlies (2002–2020, moved to Spartanburg, renamed Spartanburgers) Spartanburgers (2021, suspended operations) Savannah Bananas (2016–2022, left league to concentrate on its professional exhibition operation) Wilson Tobs (1997–2025, moving to Smithfield for 2027)

Past champions

Petitt Cup years Year Pettit Cup Winner Runner-up Series Result East Division winner West Division winner2025WilsonForest City2 games to 0WilsonForest City2024WilmingtonLexington County2 games to 0PeninsulaMartinsville2023Lexington CountyWilmington2 games to 1Morehead CityLexington County2022SavannahWilson2 games to 0Morehead CitySavannah2021SavannahMorehead City2 games to 1PeninsulaSavannahYear Pettit Cup Winner Runner-up Series Result North Division winner South Division winner East Division winner West Division winner2019Morehead CityMacon2 games to 1WilsonSavannahMorehead CityGastonia2018Morehead CityThomasville2 games to 0PeninsulaSavannahMorehead CityThomasvilleYear Pettit Cup Winner Runner-up Series Result East Division winner West Division winner2017GastoniaWilmington2 games to 0WilmingtonForest City2016SavannahPeninsula2 games to 1PeninsulaForest City2015EdentonGastonia2 games to 0EdentonAsheboro2014 Peninsula Florence 2 games to 1 Peninsula Florence2013 Peninsula Columbia 2 games to 0 Edenton Asheboro2012 Columbia Fayetteville 2 games to 1 Edenton MartinsvilleYear Pettit Cup Winner Runner-up Series Result North Division winner South Division winner West Division winner2011 Gastonia Edenton 2 games to 1 Edenton Fayetteville Thomasville2010 Forest City Edenton 2 games to 1 Wilson Morehead City Gastonia2009 Forest City Peninsula 2 games to 0 Peninsula Wilson Forest CityYearPettit Cup WinnerRunner-upGame ResultNorth Division winnerSouth Division winnerWest Division winner2008 Thomasville Florence 7–4 Peninsula Wilson Thomasville2007 Thomasville Peninsula 4–3 Edenton Fayetteville Thomasville2006 Thomasville Peninsula 6–1 Peninsula Fayetteville Martinsville2005 Edenton Florence 9–1 Edenton Florence Gastonia2004 Edenton Outer Banks 13–2 Edenton Wilson Thomasville2003 Outer Banks Florence 7–2 Petersburg Durham Thomasville2002 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 winner2001 Durham Wilson Wilson Fayetteville2000 Petersburg Asheboro Petersburg AsheboroYear Winner Runner-up Series Result First Half winner Second Half winner1999 Wilmington Outer Banks Wilmington Outer Banks1998 Wilmington Rocky Mount Wilmington Rocky Mount1997 Raleigh Wilson 2 games to 0 Raleigh Wilson

References

External links Official site