Blowfish Win Annual Game Against USC Alums

Blowfish SID–The Columbia Blowfish beat the University of South Carolina Alumni team 7-5 on Sunday night at Capital City Stadium in the fifth annual Gamefish Cup. The Blowfish have now beaten the Alumni in four straight years and lead the series 4-1. Bryon Jeffcoat didn’t want the crowd of 5,327 to wait until after the game to see fireworks. He lit up the sky on his own in the seventh inning with a two-run home run to tie the game at 5-5. Nick Abrahamson hit an RBI single for Columbia in the bottom of the eighth to break the tie and Jeff Murray came on and pitched a perfect ninth to secure the victory. The Alumni team included Robert Beary, Kyle Enders, and Jose Mata from the Gamecock College World Series Championship teams. All three, along with Gamecock bench coach Brian Buscher, threw out ceremonial first pitches before the game. Big names such as Kip Bauknight and Drew Meyer were also in attendance. Mata pitched three scoreless innings out of the bullpen in his first appearance as an Alumnus. The Alumni were managed by Trey Dyson. Adam Westmoreland made his Blowfish debut in the exhibition game, facing off against some of his now former Gamecock teammates. He pitched three scoreless innings in the contest. The Blowfish return to Coastal Plain League action Monday night when they host the Florence RedWolves at a special 6:05 p.m. start time. The game is a guaranteed win night and the last of three Independence Weekend firework games. The Columbia Blowfish are a proud member of the Coastal Plain League, the nation’s hottest summer collegiate baseball league. Celebrating its 15th season in 2011, the CPL features 15 teams playing in South Carolina, North Carolina and Virginia. The CPL gives college players the chance to refine their skills with the use of wooden bats. Players are housed with local host families for the summer and past experiences have been very positive for both players and hosts. Furthermore, the CPL has had over 930 alumni drafted and 44 alums 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