Blowfish End Clams Season
Published on August 9, 2012 under Coastal Plain League (Coastal Plain)
Edenton Steamers News Release
EDENTON, NC - The Columbia Blowfish (36-23, 4-0) launched three home runs in their 5-1 victory over the Edenton Steamers (38-19, 2-2) and swept their way into the Coastal Plain League Petitt Cup championship series for the first time in franchise history on Thursday at Historic Hicks Field.
The do-or-die game two for the Edenton Steamers did not start well for starter Ryan Woodring (North Greenville University). Two pitches into the game Federico Castagnini homered over the left field wall for a 1-0 lead. Two batters later Graham Saiko walked and then Zack Smith hit a laser beam of the left field wall. With two outs, Saiko was off to the races and scored all the way from first on what amounted to a really long single for Smith. The lead was 2-0 for the 'Fish.
Griffin Jones, making his first postseason start for Columbia, was dinged for an unearned run in the bottom of the second. With two out Michael Massi (Mercer University) reached on a two-base error. Johnny Garrett (Southern Arkansas University) singled him home and cut the lead in half.
DJ Johnson (Mercer University) replaced Woodring after two innings, trailing 2-1 and pitched a scoreless top of the third.
Tre-von Johnson struck out to begin the fourth but was able to reach on a wild pitch. Stuart Pound, who made the start the night before in game one for Columbia, hit a long home run over the left-center field fence and made it 4-1 Columbia.
Graham Saiko hit a solo blast off Johnson in the top of the fifth to finish the scoring for the game. His home run made it 5-1 Blowfish.
On two separate occasions it seemed fate was not on the Clams side. In the bottom of the fifth Edenton got back-to-back doubles from Jason Kanzler (University at Buffalo) and Madison Beaird (Arkansas Tech University). The Columbia left fielder, Pound, went all the way back to the wall on Beaird's hit and fooled Kanzler into thinking he might catch the ball. Once it fell for a hit Kanzler could only move up 90 feet to third base. Spencer Branigan (University of Pennsylvania) followed with a sinking line drive that the right fielder Jarrod Reed caught at his shoe tops. He then threw to second base to double off Beaird. A once promising inning halted by the Blowfish defense.
Again, in the bottom of the ninth, Columbia caught a break. Three straight singles loaded the bases for the Steamers with only one out and the heart of the order coming up. Branigan, the tying run, at the plate hit a line drive that the shortstop Michael Wilson snared and then underhanded to Castagnini to double off Jason Kanzler to end the game.
Wyatt Brown earned the clinching game win for his two innings of relief. He allowed no runs and three hits; improving to 6-2 overall and 1-0 in the post season. Ryan Woodring took the loss for his two innings pitched. He allowed two runs on two hits; he walked three and struck out three. He fell to 0-2 overall and 0-1 in the postseason.
Edenton ended their 2012 season with an overall record of 38-19 and finished their ninth straight season with a winning record and a playoff appearance.
Coastal Plain League Stories from August 9, 2012
- Blowfish End Clams Season - Edenton Steamers
- SwampDogs Force Game 3 - Fayetteville SwampDogs
- SwampDogs Speed Forces Game 3 - Forest City Owls
- Blowfish Top Steamers, Advance to Championship Series - Lexington County Blowfish
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