The National CPL All-Star team took the lead in the bottom of the third and fought off a late rally by the American squad Tuesday night to win 5-4 in the 2010 Coastal Plain League All-Star Game at McNair Field in Forest City, N.C.

A crowd of 2,412 fans piled into the home of the Owls to cheer on their favorite CPL All-Stars.

The Americans pushed three runs across in the first inning and never gave up the lead.

Despite the early hole they were in, the National All-Stars managed to push two runs across in the bottom of the first to pull within one run at 3-2.

But the Nationals added a pair of runs to take a 5-3 advantage that lasted until the eighth inning. Trailing 5-3 in the top of the eighth, National Justyn Carter (Morehead City/Saint Peters) led off and was immediately hit by pitcher Chase Boruff (Forest City /Carson-Newman).

Carter stole second and then third, and then crossed the plate on a groundout. Boruff settled in after his early struggles and retired the next two batters to avoid any further damage.

National closer Mark Montgomery (Edenton/Longwood),&bsp; retired three straight in the ninth inning, including the last two on strikeouts to earn the save.