Blowfish Make It Two In a Row

COLUMBIA - If things remain like this, the Columbia Blowfish may never take batting practice again.

A day after beating Fayetteville 18-8 without "BP," the Blowfish were unable to warm up Thursday due to rain that delayed the game's start by forty minutes. And, for the second night in a row, they came out on top. The Blowfish defeated the Florence Red Wolves 8-3 in another offensive outburst at Capital City Stadium.

After going the first 14 days of July without a league win, the Blowfish have now won two in a row in impressive fashion. Columbia (3-10) coach Lee Gronkiewicz says the team's attitude had already shifted prior to the recent winning streak. "I think the mood has change over the last week," Gronkiewicz said after Thursday's game, "Guys are more confident now at the plate and it shows."

Columbia did not record more than six runs in any game from June 21 to July 13. They have now topped that mark in each of their last three contests.

Tyler McBride (Winthrop 2-3) picked up the win in his first official start since going on the disabled list due to a foot injury. McBride finished the night with three runs on six hits in 5.2 innings. Florence's Ali Williams (Charleston Southern 1-1) suffered his first loss of the season after giving up six runs, five earned, on nine hits in six innings.

Florence (10-4) struck first in the second after Barrett Kleinknecht (Francis Marion) doubled to lead off the inning and later scored on a sacrifice fly by Myckie Lugbauer (Maine) to give Florence a 1-0 lead.

Columbia responded in the third inning with four runs to establish an early advantage. Matt Williams (Liberty) singled with one out, moved to second on Scott Wingo's (South Carolina) walk, and scored on an RBI single by Branfry Arias (Tusculum). Matt Leeds (College of Charleston) followed with a sacrifice fly to score Wingo. Jeff Jefferson (Liberty) then got his first hit as a Blowfish with a single that moved Arias up to second. John Long (Liberty) emptied this bases with a line drive to the outfield that was misplayed by right fielder Austin Smetana (Francis Marion), allowing Arias and Jefferson to score and make it 4-1 Columbia.

The Red Wolves made it exciting again with a two-run sixth. Kleinknecht hit his second double with one out and came around on Steven Neff's (South Carolina) RBI single to right field. Herman Petzold (Notre Dame) then drove home Neff with another single to cut into Columbia's lead, 4-3.

The Blowfish scored two in the bottom of the inning and then put it away with two more in the seventh. Jim Rider (Kent St) hit a one-out single, advanced on a walk by Gabe Grammar (Presbyterian), and scored after Catlin Carter's (UNC-Asheville) base hit into left field was overrun by Florence's Zach Caldwell (Missouri Southern). Matt Williams then hit a slow ground ball that was misplayed by Florence shortstop Tyler Burnett (Middle Tennessee), allowing Grammar to score and give Columbia a 6-3 lead.

In the seventh, Long doubled to plate Jefferson and then scored himself after Petzold made an errant throw on Jim Rider's infield single to second base. However, Columbia's 8-3 lead looked to be in jeapardy after the Red Wolves loaded the bases with no outs in the eighth. Columbia reliever Richard Mounce (Clemson) then struck out the next two batters and forced Smetana to ground into a fielder's choice to end Florence's scoring threat.

Mounce did not allow a run in 2.1 innings, striking out three and allowing two hits.

Notes: Long now has six RBIs in two games, he had five the entire season prior to Wednesday night... The Blowfish defeated Florence at "The Cap" for the first time this season... Thursday was the last home game before the Coastal Plain League All-Star Game on Tuesday, July 21. Matt Leeds will be the lone Blowfish representative. Columbia pitcher Tyler Christman (USC-Sumter) was also selected, but could not play due to summer classes... Both teams face each other again tomorrow in a doubleheader at Legion Field in Florence. Both games will last seven innings, with the first beginning at 6:05 pm.