WILMINGTON - It was obviously the last game of the season at Buck Hardee Field Tuesday night.
Robbie Wilcox (yes, the pitcher) got an infield single in his only at-bat of the season, and came around to score. This was two innings after entering the game at shortstop. Fellow pitcher Stew Brase (Charleston Southern) came into the game as a pinch runner and stuck around to play first base.
The Blowfish did just enough to scrape out a 5-3 win.
The game began in the second inning as a make-up of a rainout from July 13. The Blowfish wasted little time getting on the scoreboard, as Jeff Jefferson (Liberty) doubled to start the night and advanced to third on a wild pitch by Wilmington pitcher Hunter Ford (Campbell). Jim Rider then followed with a ground ball to third and Sharks' third baseman Greg Bachman (Austin Peay) came up firing towards home. However, the throw sailed wide, as Jefferson scored to give Columbia a 1-0 lead.
Wilmington answered with an unearned run in the third. Alex Hill (UNC-Wilmington) singled to lead off, then moved to second after Columbia first baseman Shawn Glover (Erskine) dropped the throw from a potential sacrifice bunt by Trevor Willis (Iowa). After an Andrew Guerra (Saint Louis) groundout moved Hill to third, Jesse Bosnik (St. Bonaventure) grounded a slow roller to second base. Columbia's Scott Wingo (South Carolina) retired the out at second, but the relay throw to first was not in time to get the double play. Hill scored on the play to tie the game 1-1.
The Blowfish retook the lead in the fourth. Glover singled, stole second, then reached third on a passed ball. Cameron White (Catawba) then doubled down the left field line to plate Glover and give Columbia a 2-1 advantage. Wilmington tied it back in the bottom of the inning. Columbia pitcher Erik Sommerville (Francis Marion) hit Bachman with two outs. Drew Wingo (Presbyterian) followed with an infield single to shortstop Matt Williams (Liberty) that moved Bachman to second. WIlliams made a desperate throw to second that got away, moving Bachman up to third. Hill then followed with a base hit to score Bachman and make it 2-2.
The Blowfish took the lead for good with two in the fifth. Tyler McBride (Winthrop) singled and moved to second on a Branfy Arias (Tusculum) single. Jefferson then walked to lead the bases and Trent Still (Anderson) followed with a sacrifice fly to right, advancing the runners a base and scoring McBride. Jim Rider (Kent St) then hit another sacrifice fly to score Arias and give Columbia a 4-2 win.
Wilmington narrowed the deficit in the eighth. Christian Overstreet (Missouri St) walked and came around to score on Adam Gray's (Mercyhurst) RBI double.
The Blowfish added a run in the ninth to put the game away. Robbie Wilcox (Brown) singled to start the inning and moved to second on McBride's bunt single. Arias followed with an RBI single to left, scoring Wilcox to give Columbia a 5-3 win.
Sommerville (4-2) picked up the win with three strong innings, giving up one earned run on four hits. Ford got the loss for Wilmington after giving up four runs, three earned, on seven hits and two walks in four innings. Gabe Grammar (Presbyterian) picked up his second save with a perfect ninth inning.
Notes: The Blowfish end their season with a second half record of 10-17, and an overall record of 19-36... They were 9-7 to finish the year after a 11 game losing streak... The Sharks took the season series, 6-5... The win allows Columbia to finish the season in fourth place in the CPL South. Thanks for a great season, and enjoy the remainder of your summer.
