The 2018 Season of the Stars and Stripes is officially over.

The Lexington County Blowfish began their season with a walk-off single on opening night and Mother Nature put her stamp on the final game of the season. From start to finish, the staff at Lexington County Baseball Stadium always worked hard to provide a great experience for every fan.

A unique aspect of the Lexington County Blowfish is that most of the Gameday staff is comprised of college interns, primarily interns from the University of South Carolina. For many, it’s their first venture into the world of working in sports.

As someone who was in that same spot just one year prior, I could see their nervousness on the first day. However, just a few short days into the season, the exuberance and effort were visible to me and anyone who walked through the front gate. And that tireless effort proved necessary with the big events held at the ballpark this season.

The 2018 season saw several big events occur at Lexington County Baseball Stadium. The Blowfish were the host to the 2018 All-Star Show July 8-9, which brought the entire Coastal Plain League to Lexington County.

Over 600 soldiers from Fort Jackson joined the Blowfish at Lexington County Baseball Stadium on July 28. Not to mention, there were 10 All-You-Can-Eat nights throughout the season that allowed fans to enjoy endless burgers, hot dogs, chicken sandwiches, and Blowfish baseball.

The 2018 season was my first as the radio play-by-play voice for the Blowfish. It was a wild season. It went from a walk-off win on opening night to a playoff push that fell just short in the final few weeks.

Then you have to throw in pitcher Brett Fulk from Lenoir Rhyne, tossing 8 2/3 innings of one run, one hit baseball as the Blowfish won their final game in historic Grayson Stadium in Savannah, Ga.

It was a season many of us will never forget in Lexington County.

I know I’m already excited for the 2019 Blowfish season. Each season is bigger and better than the one prior, and Lexington County should be ready for what the Lexington County Blowfish will be bringing on AND off the field next summer.