Fayetteville Remains in Division Race

Trent Still doubled to lead off the game for Columbia

COLUMBIA- Brock Whiteman had a strong offensive night, going 2-for-3 with two RBIs and a run as the Fayetteville Swampdogs scored seven runs in the last five innings to blow past the Columbia Blowfish and keep their hopes alive for the CPL South title with a 9-3 win Saturday at Capital City Stadium.

Whiteman, who was batting .105 entering the night, reached on a walk and two singles as the Swampdog offense took advantage of four Columbia errors.

Columbia scored first after Trent Still doubled and scored on Matt Leeds' groundout to make it 1-0 Blowfish.

Fayetteville took the lead in the second, however, after Columbia starting pitcher Erik Sommerville walked Whiteman with the bases loaded to tie the game. Jared Humphreys followed with an RBI groundout after Blowfish first baseman Richard Mounce fielded a ball on the foul line that he thought was called foul. Airlon Vinson scord on the play to give the Swampdogs a 2-1 advantage.

The Blowfish tied it up in the fourth inning after Matt Williams reached on a throwing error by Fayetteville starter Brian Willis and later came around to score on Jim Rider's sacrifice fly, evening the score 2-2.

The Swamdogs took over after that. In the fifth, Taylor Norfleet was safe at first after striking out on a wild pitch from Sommerville. He later scored on Matt Kole's infield single and Kole came around himself on Whiteman's RBI single to make it 5-2 Fayetteville.

The Swampdogs added an insurance run in the seventh after Columbia reliever Gabe Grammar tried to pickoff Brendan Rowland at second base. The throw was wild and Rowland advanced to third, later scoring off Eric Grabe's single to give the Swampdogs a 6-2 lead.

In the eighth, Fayetteville's Wet Delatte became the second batter to reach on a strikeout after Grammar threw a wild pitch. Delatte eventually came around to score on Michael Niemann's single up the middle. Rowland followed that up with a double to score Niemann, giving Fayetteville an 8-3 edge.

Finally, in the ninth inning Norfleet picked up his first hit in the ninth inning and scored on a Nathaniel Lami sacrifice fly to give the Swampdogs their final margin: 9-3.

The Blowfish left eleven runners stranded, inclueding an eighth inning that saw Fayetteville pitcher Tom Schmidt get out of a bases-loaded, nobody out jam by striking out the next three batters. The Blowfish also left the bases loaded in the third inning.

Swampdog reliever Wes Dutton (2-0) was credited with the win after starter Brian Willis lasted only four innings. Dutton did not give up a hit and struck out two in his one inning of relief. Columbia starter Erik Sommerville (1-2) gave up five runs, four earned, on six hits in six innings for the loss.

Notes: The Blowfish have been outscored 32-9 in Saturday games at Capital City Stadium.... The Swampdogs will face Wilson Monday night at 7:05 pm. The winner of that game will clinch the CPL South...Norfleet was making his first start for Fayetteville... Carlos Santana, signed by Columbia Thursday, also got his first start... The Blowfish have Sunday off before playing Wilmington at Capital City Stadium Monday night at 7:05 pm. It is Guaranteed Win Night, which means a Blowfish loss allows those in attendance to receive free tickets to a future home game.