Blowfish Win 2nd Straight Gamefish Cup

USC's Matt Riddle signs an autograph as Tyler Speer (28) looks on

COLUMBIA- Jim Rider went 3-for-4 with a pair of runs and five Columbia Blowfish pitchers combined for the shutout as the Blowfish defeated the USC Alumni 5-0 to win the 3rd annual Gamefish Cup Friday night.

The exhibition game had all the feel of a rivalry match as the Blowfish took a 2-1 edge in the series in front of 4,112 fans at Capital City Stadium.

Erik Sommerville pitched five shutout innings, giving up just five hits to earn the win. Former Gamecock pitcher Blake Taylor was rocked for four runs on three hits in 1.1 innings in the loss.

It was the first win for new Blowfish coach Lee Gronkiewicz, a former USC pitcher who was supposed to play for the Alumni team before his hiring Thursday.

"It was fun," Gronkiewicz said, "I was about to put on a Carolina jersey the other day... Who knows?"

For the second consecutive night, the Bowfish struck in the first inning. Matt Williams walked to lead off the game, then advanced to third on Branfry Arias's single. Nick Chinners scored Williams with an RBI groundout to second. Arias then came around after a throwing error by Gamecocks' third baseman Andrew Crisp on Tyler McBride's ground ball. Crisp threw it over first baseman Trey Dyson's head, allowing the Blowfish to take a 2-0 lead.

Shawn Glover reaches second as Bryan Triplett loses the throw

Columbia chalked up two more in the second after another South Carolina error. Shawn Glover reached second when second baseman Bryon Jeffcoat threw wide of first base after fielding his ground ball. Glover then scored on Rider's base hit - a double to right center. Catlin Carter followed with an RBI single that brought home Rider, giving Columbia a 4-0 advantage.

Rider led off the fourth with a single, then came around to score on Carter's triple down the right field line to give Columbia a 5-0 lead.

Along with Sommerville's performance, the bullpen combination of Gabe Grammar, Robbie Wilcox, John Long, and Drew Mahaffey combined for no runs on three hits and seven strikeouts.

Of course, the exhibition win is unofficial - it does not count in the Coastal Plain League league standings. However, Gronkiewicz still received a customary Gatorade shower from the players after the game.

Notes: Columbia Blowfish owner/president Bill Shanahan presented the Gamefish trophy to Gronkiewicz in a postgame ceremony. The Cup will remain at Capital City Stadium for another year... Carter's triple was the first of the season for any Blowfish player. However, exhibition stats do not count, so the team still has zero on the season...It was the first time a shutout had been recorded in the young rivalry, and it was the largest margin of victory....The Blowfish will play another Saturday game at Capital City Stadium on July 4th. Columbia looks to even the season series against the Asheboro Copperheads at 7:05 pm.. Fireworks will follow the game.