Blowfish Offense Struggles Again in Loss

FOREST CITY, NC – The Forest City Owls took advantage of two home runs and a lack of offensive punch by the Columbia Blowfish to win 7-4 at McNair Field Saturday night.

            Randy Sturgill (California, Pa, 1-2) was roughed up for his second loss of the season. The Owls got six runs on six hits in just four innings. Sturgill was able to strike out four. Forest City starter Anthony Tzamtzis (NC State, 1-0) was able to hold Columbia in check, allowing only one unearned run on three hits in six innings of work.

            The Owls were able to muster a pair of two-run homers in both the second and third innings. Brian Burton (Canisius) hit a shot over the left field wall to score Reed Harper (Austin Peay) and give Forest City the early lead, 2-0. One inning later, Cade Stallings (Louisville) brought home Grant Buckner (West Virginia) with another home run that sailed out of center field to put the Owls up 4-0.

            Forest City got another deuce across in the fourth. Burton led off with a walk and moved to second on a sac bunt by Colin Durborow (West Virginia). Marty Gantt (Spartanburg Methodist) followed with an RBI single to plate Burton and Will Skinner (Middle Tennessee St) followed with a double down the left field line to score Durborow and give the Owls a 6-0 advantage.

            The Blowfish broke the shutout in the sixth. Branfy Arias (Tusculum) drove a base hit into left and broke for second after a throwing error by Buckner, the left fielder.  Arias ended up at third on the play. He then scored on a sacrifice fly by Brison Celek (South Carolina) to make the score 6-1.

            Forest City quickly moved the lead back to six in the bottom of the inning, however. Durburow doubled to start the production, then scored on Gantt's single that ricocheted off the glove of Columbia third baseman Max McEleney (San Diego) to extend the lead 7-1.

            Columbia was able to make the score respectable in the top of the ninth. Owls reliever Brett Stackhouse (Gardner-Webb) walked pinch hitter Bryan Hill (Union) and pegged Dadynoel Lorenzo (Shorter) with another pitch to put two aboard for Nick Orvin (Citadel). Orvin followed with his second home run of the season, a three-run shot that sailed over the center field wall, cutting into Forest City's lead, 7-4.

            Notes: The Blowfish have scored five runs in last inning of their last two games. Columbia scored only one run in the innings prior to that over both days… Chad Hodges (Shorter) continued his remarkable run of pickoffs. Hodges caught two more baserunners to give him 9 on the season, well ahead of Morehead's Brent Powers, with 3. If Chad was his own team, he would be first in the CPL… The Blowfish travel to Wilmington tomorrow for a 6:05 pm first pitch against the Sharks. The next home game is on Wednesday at 7:05 pm, vs. Wilmington. All 12-oz sodas and beers will be only $1.