Florence Explodes Late for Rout

Will Callaway scored the lone Blowfish run in the 5th (Courtesy Johnny Gasque)

COLUMBIA - Stew Brase (Charleston Southern) probably thought he had left the game in good hands.
    The Columbia starter left the game after six innings down 2-1, turning the game over to a Blowfish bullpen that had not allowed a run after the sixth inning all season.
    By the time the dust settled two innings later, however, the Red Wolves were up 15-1 and would cruise in a rout of Columbia at Capital City Stadium Friday night.
     Florence took advantage of five Blowfish errors, including four over the seventh and eighth innings, to ride a late offensive explosion over Columbia.
    Coach Lee Gronkiewicz was not happy. "We just didn't field well. We didn't catch well. We just didn't play well at all," he said after the game.
     Cash Collins (Wofford, 2-0) picked up the win for the Red Wolves after scattering four hits and allowing only one run. Brase (1-1) took the loss despite giving up only two runs off seven hits while striking out eight.
    It was in the bullpen that everything got out of control.
    Ryan Gunther (Elon) failed to retire a batter while surrendering four earned runs on three hits and hitting another batter. He wasn't helped by a Will Callaway (Appalachian State) throwing error that sailed into the bullpen.
     Coach Gronkiewicz, whose depleted bullpen was stretched thin, then turned to his bench and asked, "Which position players want to pitch?" Ryan Burt (USC-Lancaster) was the first to the step.
     Things didn't get any better. Burt gave up four runs off two hits, a hit batsman, a walk, a balk, and a throwing error to first in a third of an inning. By the time reliever Alex Brown (Newberry) got into the game, it was out of hand 10-1. Brown then gave up an RBI double to Tyler Boyd (Francis Marion) to make it 11-1.
    Four more unearned runs came across in the eighth after two fielding errors, three walks, a hit, and a wild pitch. Once the dust settled, it was Florence up 15-1.

There was a rain delay that lasted for an hour

    Florence scored in the first after Trey Hernandez (TX A&M-CC) doubled home Herman Petzold (Notre Dame) to make it 1-0. The Red Wolves added to that lead in the fifth, after Tyler Cappelman (Francis Marion) hit an RBI single to score Hernandez from second to make it 2-0 Florence.
    The Blowfish responded in the bottom of the fifth. Callaway singled and moved to second on a Shawn Glover (Erskine) base knock. Dedrick Mingo (Limestone) then lined a pitch back up the middle for an RBI single to close the score 2-1.
    It remained that way until the top of the seventh.
NOTES: It was the worst loss for the Blowfish since a 15-0 shutout at home on June 24, 2009 - also to Florence... The game was delayed for roughly an hour by lightning in the area... Columbia hits the road early Saturday, traveling to Morehead City to take on the Marlins in a doubleheader starting at 5 pm.... The Fish return home on Sunday to take on the Red Wolves again at 6:05 pm. It will be Bark in the Park Night. Bring your dogs to the game. Treats will be provided!