Blowfish Eke Out First Win

    It looked to be an offensive slugfest at the beginning of the game, with the Columbia Blowfish getting three runs in the bottom of the first and the Outer Banks Daredevils responding with two in the top of the second.
    But that would be all of the scoring for either team.
    Columbia pitcher Stew Brase (Charleston Southern, 1-0) gave up only three hits and two runs in seven innings to lead the Blowfish (1-2) to their first win of the season in a 3-2 victory over Outer Banks (1-3).
    "Stew pitched great," Blowfish coach Lee Gronkiewicz said, "He really pounded the two-seamer. He didn't try to do too much."
    John Cornely (Wofford, 0-1) was knocked in the first, but settled down and statistically out-pitched Brase over the next five innings. Cornely surrendered three runs, two earned, on five hits in six innings. He also struck out ten Blowfish, while giving up only two walks, but his offense did not back him up in the loss.
    Gabe Grammer (Presbyterian) struck out two in the ninth for his first save.
    The Blowfish scored in the first for the second consecutive game. Dadynoel Lorenzo (Georgia Perimeter) singled to lead off and Demontez Jones (USC-Lancaster) followed with a walk.
    Branfy Arias (Tusculum) then grounded a slow roller towards the left side of the infield. Daredevils' shortstop Michael Holmes (Central Florida) ranged to his right to make the play, but collided with third baseman Jake Stone (College of the Albemarles), allowing all runners to advance safely. The next batter, Bryan Hill, (Union) cleared the bases with a three-run double to give Columbia a 3-0 lead.
    Outer Banks answered right away, however. Stone singled with one out in the second and moved to second on a Holmes walk. Tyler Barrington (College of the Albemarles) then brought home Stone and moved Holmes to third with an RBI single to right. Brase then threw a wild pitch that rolled to the backstop, letting Holmes slide home to make it 3-2.
    However, Brase struck out Nathan Chong (Presbyterian) to prevent the Daredevils from tying it up. Brase finished the evening with seven strikeouts.
    Brase also escaped from a jam in the fourth. With runners on the corners and one out, he struck out Jon Taddeo (Mansfield) and Chong to end the inning with the tying run on third.
    Outer Banks came away empty again in the eighth after Columbia reliever Andy Podolinski (West Virginia) surrendered a two-out double to Troy Snitker (North Georgia) and walked Stone and Tony Micklon (Presbyterian) to load the bases.  However, the Pennsylvania native then struck out Holmes to escape.
    It was Podolinski's first outing since August. He redshirted this past season after surgery on his shoulder.

NOTES: Bryan Hill has driven all five Blowfish runs in the first three games of the season. He has 5 RBI in three games... He is 3-for-4 with runners in scoring position, 0-for-6 when they are not... Grammer came in to pitch from first base for the second game in a row... After assistant coach Blaise Lambert arrived from Texas A&M-Corpus Christi Saturday, Robby Assemany (USC-Salkehatchie) was released from the team. Due to NCAA rules, the rising JUCO sophomore is not allowed to play for a Division 1 coach.... The Blowfish are off Sunday and Monday for Memorial Day weekend before traveling to Legion Field in Florence Tuesday to take on the Red Wolves... The Blowfish return home on Wednesday, June 2nd, to host Wilmington. It will be Discount Beverage Night. All sodas and beers are just $1 from 6-8 pm.