The Blowfish concluded another week of action with three wins and two losses, both coming against the Florence Flamingos.

Against other competitors, the Blowfish won by a combined score of 37-9. But Florence had the team’s number last week, winning close games, 3-1 and 5-4.

Lexington started the week with the two games against Florence. The first was a low-scoring 3-1 game that saw no runs in the final five innings.

The Blowfish scored their only run in the first inning when Dariyan Pendergrass crossed home plate. The team loaded the bases in the inning, but could not add any more runs after Pendergrass’.

The Flamingos scored their runs in the third and fourth innings, which was enough to give them the win. The team added one in the third when Brayden Corn reached home. They added two more in the fourth to give them enough cushion until the end.

The bats were quiet for the Blowfish, with just three players recording a hit while seven different players struck out at least once. The defense had a solid game and limited Florence’s opportunities.

Eric Moore got the start on the mound and pitched three innings, giving up one hit and one run with four strikeouts. Reed Gallant came on in relief and pitched three innings while giving up five hits and two runs. Slaide Naturman closed and put up a strong performance, shutting down the Flamingos by giving up no hits, runs or walks.

Game two against Florence was the opposite of game one, with the scoring coming at the end of the game. Both teams were scoreless in the sixth before ending 5-4.

The Blowfish had an opportunity in the bottom of the ninth to tie or take the lead but came up short in the end. Florence scored three runs in the seventh to get things going and the Blowfish responded with runs of their own to keep the game close.

Lexington scored one run in the bottom of the seventh and two in the eighth to make it a 4-3 ball game. Florence scored one in the ninth, meaning the Blowfish needed two runs to win.

The team scored the first run when Ashby Vining crossed home, but in the process, Florence recorded the second out of the inning. One more run was needed to extend the game, but one out was left to get it.

Wells Skyes stepped to the plate but failed to score a run and was instead struck out swinging to end the game. The Blowfish were 0-2 to start the week but quickly bounced back once they got a break from Florence.

Lexington traveled to Forest City for a game against the Owls. The team won 10-0 after much better luck from the plate.

The Blowfish recorded 12 hits and seven RBIs to the Owls’ four and zero. Phillip Ard went 2-3 from the plate with two runs and three RBIs. Todd Hudson added two RBIs and a run of his own.

Chance Fitzgerald got the win pitching five innings for the Blowfish. He gave up just four hits and allowed no runs and one walk.

The Blowfish returned home for a game against the East Division’s Wilmington Sharks. The win over Wilmington was the closest win last week for Lexington, edging the Sharks 10-6.

Lexington used a four-run fourth inning to take the lead and never look back. Hudson and Vining record RBIs in the fourth to help create the lead. Wilmington scored two runs in the fifth to cut the game to one, but the Blowfish scored one run in each of their last three batting opportunities to expand their margin.

The final game of the week was the largest margin of victory for Lexington. This game was also a cross-conference contest with the team playing the Holly Springs Salamanders.

The game was 4-3 through three innings and looked like it was going to be a closely contested match. But Lexington’s bats caught fire in the fourth and fifth, combining for 13 runs in the two innings. 

Ard and Zach Cowart hit home runs in the game but most of the Blowfish runs came off hits in the field of play. The team as a whole finished with 15 hits and 16 RBIs in an overall dominant outing.

The Blowfish’s season is nearing its end. The team has eight Coastal Plains League games left on its schedule before the regular season ends. The team is in the middle of a strong second half to its season, going 11-4 games since the midway point after starting 10-14.