Early Errors Doom Fayetteville in 4-3 Loss to Columbia
Published on July 23, 2011 under Coastal Plain League (Coastal Plain)
Fayetteville SwampDogs News Release
FAYETTEVILLE, N.C. - The Fayetteville SwampDogs committed three errors in the top of the first inning, leading to three Columbia Blowfish runs that lifted the Blowfish to a 4-3 win at J.P. Riddle Stadium on Saturday night.
The SwampDogs tried to rally in the ninth inning, trailing 4-2 and facing Columbia closer Jeff Murray. But after Andrew Alford singled in his first at-bat with the SwampDogs and came around to score, the home team got the tying run to third and the winning run to first before John Hogan grounded out to second base to end the game.
Fayetteville (27-19, 10-8) has now lost five of their last six, dropping them into third place in the CPL South for the second half behind Wilmington and now Morehead City, who beat Florence on Saturday night as well. Columbia (15-31, 7-12) kept their faint hopes alive for an at-large berth into the Petitt Cup Playoffs.
Alex Belew (1-2) started the game for the SwampDogs and suffered the loss, allowing just one earned run - a homerun to first baseman Tyler Jackson - of his four total runs allowed in six innings. He walked four and hit a batter while striking out one.
Josh Adams (2-4) threw seven innings, allowing just two runs in earning the victory. One of those runs came courtesy of SwampDogs DH Joe Vaskas, who drilled a line drive solo home run over the fence in leftfield for his fifth homer of the season.
SwampDogs head coach Darrell Handelsman saw his season-long streak of 45 games without an ejection come to an end in the ninth inning. He was thrown out by home plate umpire Zach Dart for arguing a balk called on Fayetteville reliever Brandon Huffman.
Eric Grabe delivered two more hits, raising his all-time CPL-leading hit total to 172.
The SwampDogs continue their three game series with Columbia on Sunday. Gates open at 4 p.m., with first pitch set for 5:05 p.m.
Coastal Plain League Stories from July 23, 2011
- Sharks fall on the road in Gastonia, South Division lead shortens - Wilmington Sharks
- Owls Walkoff vs. Thomasville, 7-6 - Forest City Owls
- Tobs' win streak halted at 3 - Wilson Tobs
- Edenton's Joe Wendle Breaks CPL Single-Season Hits Record - Coastal Plain
- Owls outslug HiToms - High Point-Thomasville HiToms
- Marlins Bounce Back in Florence - Morehead City Marlins
- Early Errors Doom Fayetteville in 4-3 Loss to Columbia - Fayetteville SwampDogs
- Peninsula Pilots to Hold Niemann-Pick Type C Awareness Night - Peninsula Pilots
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