Santana, Blowfish Power to Win

Published on May 31, 2011 under Coastal Plain League (Coastal Plain)
Lexington County Blowfish News Release


Carlos Santana collected four RBIs, including a three-run homerun, to lead the Blowfish to a 9-5 victory over the Gastonia Grizzlies in their season opener on Tuesday night.

Austin Pritcher (1-0) got the win for Columbia (1-0) despite allowing two runs in the first inning. Dan Hennigan led off the bottom of the first with a walk. He quickly stole second and then scored on an RBI single from Tyler White. White, who went 4-4 at the plate, later came around to score when the ball bounced away from catcher Joe Jackson on a play at the plate. Pritcher settled down after that. He did not allow another run through his five innings of work. He allowed just two hits and struck out five, giving the Blowfish bats a chance to win the game.

The Blowfish took some time to figure out Grizzlies (0-1) starter Wayland Moore (0-1). The Freshman went 2.2 innings without allowing a hit before Will Callaway got the first hit of the Blowfish season with a ground ball single.

The Blowfish were shut down until the fifth, when Andrew Williams was hit by a pitch with one out. Demontez Jones followed with a walk, and Carlos Santana brought them all home, crushing a 1-1 fastball over the left-centerfield fence to give the Blowfish the lead. Callaway followed with a single, part of his 3-3 night, and later came around to score on a Jackson double.

The score held until the seventh inning, when Zach Smith hit a sacrifice fly to right field with the bases loaded, scoring Santana. Then in the eighth Carlos Santana added his fourth RBI of night, doubling home Jones. Jones scored his two runs despite going hitless on the night.

The insurance runs proved important as the Grizzlies rallied for three runs in the eighth. After Scott Robinson got the first out, Gastonia surged for three straight hits, followed by a walk and an error by shortstop Andrew Williams, to score three runs and make it a one-run-game. Jeff Murray came on to relieve Robinson with the go-ahead run on base. He got Brett Macari and Adam Hilker on back-to-back strikeouts to preserve the lead.

The Blowfish tacked on three more in the ninth to ensure the victory, and Murray struck out the side in the ninth, giving him five straight strikeouts to end the game and earning him his first save of the season.

The win gave the Blowfish their second opening day victory in club history. They open their home schedule on Wednesday night against the Florence Redwolves.

The Coastal Plain League is the nation's hottest summer collegiate baseball league, heading into its 15th season. Featuring 15 teams playing a 56 game regular season schedule in North Carolina, South Carolina and Virginia, the CPL gives college players the chance to refine their skills with wooden bats during the summer months. The CPL has had over 800 alumni drafted and 44 alumni make their Major League debut thus far. For more information on the Coastal Plain League, please visit the league website at http://www.coastalplain.com.

The Columbia Blowfish enter their sixth season in the CPL and play 29 home games at Historic Capital City Stadium averaging over 30,000 fans per season. The Columbia Blowfish's first home game is June 1, 2011 - for ticket information please call 803-254-FISH (3474) or visit our website, blowfishbaseballcom, for more information.

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Coastal Plain League Stories from May 31, 2011


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