WILMINGTON NC - When they began the second half of the
Coastal Plain League season with eight straight losses, it seemed as if the Columbia
Blowfish (11-11, 23-27) were destined for irrelevancy the rest of the year.
After winning 11 of the 14 games since that eight game losing streak, including
six straight, it is beginning to seem they may be destined for the playoffs.
Columbia hung on to defeat the Wilmington Sharks (9-12,
23-26) Wednesday night at Buck Hardee Field 9-5 behind an another excellent pitching
effort by shortstop Matt Williams (Liberty, 2-0) and strong offensive nights
from Williams, Taylor Black (Kentucky), and Nick Orvin (Citadel).
Williams started for the second time this season. He was
not as effective as his last effort, but picked up the win by allowing 3 runs
in 6 2/3 innings. The Blowfish were able to defeat Wilmington starter Zach
Taylor (Evansville, 3-2), who threw a perfect game in his last trip to the
mound. Taylor did not disappoint tonight, as he took a no-hitter into the sixth
inning of this one, even though he did eventually take the loss. Taylor threw 5
2/3 innings, allowing just three hits and three runs, in route to striking out
four.
After being stymied through five innings, the ‘Fish
finally broke through with three in the sixth. Orvin drew a lead-off walk, then
moved to second when Williams picked up his first hit of the game with a
single. Both runners advance 90 feet on a wild pitch and scored when Brison
Celek (South Carolina) lofted a two-run single. He came around to score on a
Branfy Arias (Tusculum) double to put his team ahead 3-0.
The Sharks responded in the home half, as was their MO
most of the night. Joey Rapp (Louisiana-Monroe) and Kenny Bryant (Presbyterian)
drew consecutive two-out walks, then came around to score when Aaron Preston
(Presbyterian) hit a bases-clearing double that put his team down just one.
Columbia put three more on the board in the top of the seventh
and in exciting fashion too. Demontez Jones (Georgia Southern) walked to
lead-off the inning and Orvin was plunked to put runners on first and second
with no outs. Williams loaded the bases with a single, and then everyone moved
up a base on a wild pitch. After Orvin came around to push the lead to 5-2,
Williams followed him safely across the plate with a delayed steal of home.
Williams broke for the plate on the return throw to the pitcher by catcher
Conor Szczerba (Mercer) to brother and pitcher Patrick Szczerba (Florida Southern).
Caught off guard, Patrick’s throw to the plate sailed over the head of Conor as
Williams slid in safely for a 6-2 advantage. That steal of home marked the
sixth time this season that Columbia has stolen home.
Wilmington added a run in the bottom of the seventh to
pull within three, then, after Black’s first homerun of the summer put the Blowfish
lead back to four, they put two more runs on the board in the eighth to make it
just a two-run ballgame. But Columbia finished the game with four unanswered
runs to take the drama out of the ending, and Derrick Smith (Erskine) locked
down the ninth by striking out the side to end the game.
NOTES: This
game was the first in three days for the Blowfish, who were rained out yesterday
and had a scheduled day off on Monday… Tonight was the first time Columbia has
won a game in which they stole home. They had been 0-5 in such contests going
into the night… Columbia returns to the Cap tomorrow the take on the CPL South
Division-Leading Morehead City Marlins at 7:05. It will be Thirsty Thursday,
which means all 12 oz beers and sodas will be just one dollar. All college students
will be admitted free with school ID.
