Scott Wingo barely slides back to first as Wilson's Jake Astor applies the tag on a pickoff throw in the first inning.
WILSON - The Blowfish really hate Fleming Stadium. It's nothing against the facility itself, or the hardcore Wilson Tobs fans.
It's just the fact that they can't seem to win in Wilson.
Bobby Leeper (UNC-Wilmington) and Matt Johns (Western Carolina) homered off Columbia starter Tyler Christman (USC Sumter) and Wilson pitcher Trent Howard (Central Michigan) dominated the Blowfish offense as the Tobs won 3-2 Sunday evening.
Howard (5-1) continued to show why he is arguably the best pitcher in the Coastal Plain League, allowing only one run on three hits in six innings. He also struck out eight Blowfish. Christman (1-5) gave up three runs on seven hits, but was hurt by the two home runs as he suffered another difficult loss. Jason Sullivan (Western Carolina) picked up his 10th save by closing the game with two scoreless innings.
It did not take Wilson long to get ahead. Leeper homered to lead off the bottom of the first inning as the Tobs moved in front, 1-0. Johns then started the bottom of the second with another solo homer as Wilson took a 2-0 lead.
The Tobs put another run across in the fifth inning. Drake Austin (Des Moines CC) doubled to begin the inning and moved to third on a wild pitch by Christman. Leeper followed with a sacrifice fly to score Austin and give Wilson a 3-0 advantage.
Columbia scored in both the top of the sixth and seventh to get back into the game. Scott Wingo (South Carolina) doubled and moved to third on Branfry Arias's (Tusculum) single. Two batters later, Arias attempted to steal second. Wilson catcher Dale Cornstubble (Central Michigan) threw to second to catch Arias stealing, but Wingo darted home to break the shutout 3-1. In the next inning, John Long (Liberty) singled to lead off and later stole second. Long's college teammate Matt Williams (Liberty) then followed with an RBI single up the middle to make it 3-2.
Notes: The Blowfish have now lost 12 of their last 13 in games decided by two runs or fewer.... The Blowfish did not commit any errors for the fifth time in six games... The loss guarantees Columbia a losing record in the second half of the season... The Blowfish will return home Monday night to take on the Florence Red Wolves at 7:05 pm. It will be Guaranteed Win Night. If the Blowfish lose, all fans will receive free tickets to a future Columbia game.
