Florence Defeats Exhausted Blowfish

Florence's John Frost evades the tag by Shawn Glover in the fourth.

COLUMBIA - If they don't count games against the Florence Red Wolves, the Columbia Blowfish are 3-1 in 2010.
    Unfortunately, baseball doesn't work that way.
    Instead the Blowfish (4-5) fell to the Red Wolves (6-5) for the fourth time this season, 7-3 at Capital City Stadium on Sunday night.
    Steve Sabatino (Notre Dame  1-0) picked up the win for the Red Wolves after giving up only one run on five hits in six innings while striking out four. Chad Hodges (Shorter  1-0) suffered his first loss after walking seven and surrendering six runs, three earned, on nine hits in six innings. Colby Holmes (South Carolina) picked up Florence's first save of 2010 by finishing the final three innings of the game.
    The Red Wolves took advantage of three Columbia errors to get up early. Columbia's players were undoubtedly exhausted after a seven hour doubleheader in Morehead City Saturday night. The team bus arrived back in Columbia at 7:30 am with the air conditioning broken on the bus. Coach Lee Gronkiewicz said the early start time didn't help, "We had a 23 hour day yesterday with no good sleep," Gronkiewicz said after the game, "We've got a well-deserved off day tomorrow."
    Florence struck first in the second inning after several Blowfish miscues. With one out, Hodges struck out Ronnie Freeman (Kennesaw St), but the pitch got away from catcher Shawn Glover (Erskine), allowing Freeman to reach first base safely. Seth Neely (Clemson) then grounded a slow roller to second. Columbia's Max McEleney (San Diego) fielded the ball, but his underhand toss got away from shortstop Dadynoel Lorenzo (Shorter), erasing the potential double play. Stephen Carmon (USC-Aiken) laid down a bunt to the right of the pitcher's mound. Hodges and first baseman Brison Celek (South Carolina) both charged the ball, leaving first base wide open as Carmon reached with an infield single.
    With the bases now loaded, Corey Tilton (Charlotte) hit another ground ball to second. McEleney ranged over, but couldn't come up with it, allowing Freeman to score. Herman Petzold (Notre Dame) then hit an RBI single to plate Neely and put Florence up 2-0.
    Columbia got a run across in the third. Dedrick Mingo (Limestone) walked and moved to second on Demontez Jones's (Georgia Southern) sacrifice bunt. McEleney then recorded his first base hit and first RBI in a Blowfish uniform with a base hit to center that scored Mingo on the hit and run to close the gap 2-1.
    Florence took control in the fourth. Petzold singled with two outs and no one on, and John Frost (Alabama-Birmingham) moved him to second with a base knock. After Hodges threw a wild pitch to move both runners ninety feet, Trey Hernandez (TX A&M - CC) brought both home with a single up the middle to extend the lead 4-1.
    The Red Wolves added two more in the sixth. Tilton singled, moved over on Petzold's sacrifice bunt, and stole third. Frost brought him home with his second base hit of the night. After Hernandez walked, Ethan Santora (Mercyhurst) hit a deep shot to the center field warning track. Mingo rushed back to make the grab, but couldn't hang on to the catch, allowing Frost to score another unearned run for Florence to make it 6-1.
    Another run came across in the seventh. Neely walked, then stole second and was able to get to third when reliever Evan Brown (Newberry) fired a wild pitch. Tilton then drove Neely home with a single to give Florence a 7-1 advantage.
    Columbia made it interesting with two in the bottom of the inning against Holmes. Mingo led off with a walk, Jones followed with a single and Holmes walked McEleney to load the bases with no outs. Branfy Arias (Tusculum) then drew a walk to bring Mingo home and Will Callaway (Appalachian State) later picked up a sacrifice fly to plate Jones to make it 7-3.
    However, Holmes induced a bases-loaded popout from Celek and a strikeout from Glover to escape further damage.

Coach Gronkiewicz participated in "Bark at the Park," bringing his pet Lulu to the game.

    NOTES: Florence holds the series lead 4-1, they've outscored the Blowfish 29-4 at Capital City Stadium... McEleney's base hit in the 3rd snapped an 0-for-29 skid for Columbia second basemen... The Blowfish will get a much-needed off day Monday before a two-game road trip Tuesday at Wilmington and Wednesday in Fayetteville... The Blowfish return home to take on the Fayetteville Swampdogs on Thursday at 7:05 pm. It will be Thirsty Thursday. All 12 ounce sodas and beers will be only $1 from 6-8pm.