Lexington Co. Blowfish prepare for All-Star Game next week
The Lexington County Blowfish will play in their home ballpark and be well represented in next week’s Coastal Plain League All Star Game.
Hosting the two-day event for the first time since 2018, the Blowfish will place four players on the Western Division’s roster including two who will be in the starting lineup. It’s the second year in a row that two of the West’s starting nine will be Blowfish players.
Ryan Ouzts earns his second All-Star game nod in as many years, and his first as a starter. The Gilbert native out of Presbyterian College made the All-Star game as an outfielder in 2022, but will be the starting catcher in this year’s festivities after serving as a full time backstop at the request of Blowfish manager KC Brown. Ouzts has played in 12 games and leads all CPL catchers in homers (5) and RBI (15), while showing off a strong arm behind the dish.
Outfielder Dariyan Pendergrass receives a starting outfield spot in his first year in the CPL after being a spark plug at the top of the Blowfish lineup. Pendergrass, who spent the last two years at Spartanburg Methodist College and will transfer to College of Charleston in the fall, is third in the CPL in steals at 19 and first in steals per game (1.27). The Hartsville native plays as more than just a speed demon, hitting .321 with 9 RBI in just 15 games while flashing premium range in center field.
Clemson Tiger Cooper Blauser was a late addition to the roster after the NCAA regionals, but he has made up for lost time in a big way. Playing three infield spots, the Georgia native was voted in as a second baseman and is hitting .421 in 14 games with the Blowfish. Blauser is 7 plate appearances short of qualifying for the CPL batting title, but his current average would have him top in the league, in part due to his current 7 game hitting streak. Blauser has All-Star pedigree to his name, as his father Jeff was voted to the Midsummer Classic twice with the Braves, in 1993 and 1997.
Lexington County’s final representative is its only pitcher, who happens to be the youngest pitcher in the entire CPL. 18 year old Cade Bouknight, a rising freshman from Batesburg-Leesville committed to USC-Aiken, signed on as a temporary player and never stopped performing. In 6 games, Bouknight has produced a 1.55 ERA, the lowest of any active Blowfish. His 4 wins on the mound is also the most of any active CPL player. Bouknight features a 5 pitch mix designed to induce weak contact and highlighted by a high-spin slider and diving changeup. In his first taste of college hitters, the young righty has risen to the task at every turn, and earned his way onto the roster as the league’s youngest All-Star.
The 2023 CPL All Star Show will be held over two days on July 18th and 19th at Lexington County Baseball Stadium. Day 1 will feature the All-Star FanFest, complete with hitting and pitching competitions, a celebrity softball game, and a home run derby. Day 2 is the Midsummer Classic itself, as the West meets the East in a clash of the best talent the league has to offer. Tickets are available on goblowfish.com, and the entirety of both days will be streamed live on FloSports.com or on the FloSports app.
