Blowfish Win Home Finale

COLUMBIA - The first time they met this summer, the Columbia Blowfish shut out the Fayetteville Swampdogs 10-0. After losing nine of their next ten to the Swampdogs, they finally closed the series with another shutout Sunday, 7-0 over Fayetteville.

In the final game at Capital City Stadium, Tyler Christman (USC Sumter) did not give up a run in his best start of the season. Christman (2-5) allowed only two hits and struck out 10 in seven innings to pick up the win.

"It was one of the best outings I've seen him have," Columbia coach Lee Gronkiewicz said after the game, "He had command of all of his pitches. He definitely used more changeups than normal and I think he was ahead in the count to almost every batter. He was very impressive tonight."

Fayetteville starter Miguel Hernandez (St. Thomas 0-1) gave up only one hit, but also threw four walks, three wild pitches, and hit a batter in four innings in his first appearance for the Swampdogs.

Columbia got on the scoreboard in the second inning. Trent Still (Anderson) walked, then advanced to third on two wild pitches from Hernandez. After Matt Leeds (College of Charleston) and Jeff Jefferson (Liberty) walked to load the bases. Shawn Glover (Erskine) followed with an RBI groundout to give Columbia a 1-0 lead.

The Blowfish added another run in the fourth. Hernandez hit John Long (Liberty) with a pitch and walked Leeds. Glover then came through in the clutch again with a base hit up the middle to score Long and make it 2-0 Columbia.

The Blowfish added another insurance run in the sixth. Jefferson was pegged by Swampdogs' reliever Josh Bagley (UNC Pembroke) and moved over to second on Glover's second single of the night. With two outs, Matt Williams (Liberty) grounded a slow roller to second. Second baseman Shawn Lovette (Methodist) fielded it cleanly, but threw it away, allowing Jefferson to score from second and give Columbia a 3-0 advantage.

The Blowfish blew it open in the seventh inning with four runs. Still doubled and advanced to second on a wild pitch. After Long walked, Jim Rider (Kent St.) grounded a ball towards shortstop Eric Grabe (Daytona St). Grabe retired Long at second, but the relay throw from Lovette sailed into the stands, bringing Still around to score.

After Bagley hit Jefferson with another pitch, Glover picked up his third RBI with a single to score Rider. Scott Wingo (South Carolina) then followed with a two-run double to plate Jefferson and Glover to give the Blowfish a 7-0 lead.

Notes: It was the final meeting between the two teams on the season, Fayetteville held a series lead of 9-3, despite narrowly outscoring Columbia 62-59... There were 10 hit batsmen between the two teams... Fayetteville had only one baserunner (Brendan Rowland) reach third... Columbia left 11 runners stranded... The Blowfish are off Monday before closing out the season with a 7:05 game Tuesday night in Wilmington.