Blowfish Snakebit by Ashboro

COLUMBIA-A five-run first inning allowed the Ashboro Copperheads to dominate the Columbia Blowfish Saturday night en route to a 9-3 win at Capital City Stadium.

The Copperheads (6-13) hit three home runs while starting pitcher Dan Weller (1-1) gave up only two unearned runs in 6.1 innings to pick up the win.

A long first inning ended the night for Columbia (6-14) starter Brandon Miller (0-1). Miller, who was making his first start of the season, gave up five runs, two earned, in just two-thirds of an inning.

Asheboro's Craige Lyerly singled home Thomas Pope in the first after an error by Columbia shortstop Matt Williams prolonged the inning. Lyerly came around to score himself on a sac fly from Zac Jordan. Jimmie Pharr then cleared the bases with a three-run homer to left that spotted Ashboro a 5-0 lead.

The Copperheads struck again to make it 6-0 after Eric Shoemaker led off the second inning with a walk, stole second, and scored on an RBI single by Neal Pritchard.

That would be all the scoring until Columbia made things interesting in the seventh. Pinch hitters Catlin Carter and Cameron White led off the inning with singles. Each advanced on a pair of passed balls, with Carter scoring on the second. Shawn Glover followed with a sacrifice fly to score White, as Columbia closed the gap 6-2.

Ashboro pulled away over the final two innings with a pair of home runs, however. Eric Shoemaker hit his first home run of the season on a solo shot to right off Brandon McCreery in the eighth. Aaron Schultz followed up in the ninth with a two-run homer off Robbie Wilcox to give Ashboro a 9-2 lead.

Glover hit another sacrifice fly in the bottom of the ninth to score Tyler McBride to narrow the lead 9-3. Columbia was able to load the bases off Ashboro pitcher Jack Lane, but Gabe Grammar grounded into a double play to end the game.

Notes: Rider now has a nine-game hit streak, the longest of any Blowfish player this season… The Blowfish were 0-for-5 with runners in scoring position, they are now hitless in their last 19 at-bats with runners on second or third...Glover had both of the Columbia RBIs and was batting when Carter scored on a passed ball...Shoemaker's homer marked the first time this season that a home run was hit to right field in Capital City Stadium...The Blowfish stay home to host Wilmington on Sunday. First pitch is scheduled for 6:05 p.m..