In the best of five series, the Forest City Owls struck first with a 2-1 win over the Lexington County Blowfish in game one, sending the Blowfish into a must-win game at home Aug. 7.

Andrew Duval got the start for the Blowfish and pitched well. Duval went six innings into the game and struck out seven to go with only three walks and two earned runs on five hits. 

Unfortunately for Duval and the Blowfish, the two runs surrendered ended up being one run too many. Phillip Ard hit a solo home run in the second inning to initially give Lexington County a 1-0 lead but the Owls matched it with a run of their own in the bottom of the frame. 

The Owls took the lead in the next inning but Duval proceeded to retire the next six Owls batters and keep the game competitive. 

Blowfish pitchers Alex Lyon and Gunnar Erickson kept the Owls off the board in both the seventh and eighth innings but the bats couldn’t capitalize.

Game two of the series is Aug. 7 at Lexington County Baseball Stadium. First pitch is 5:35 p.m. and with a win, the Blowfish live to fight another day in a winner-take-all game three that would take place the following night. A loss will eliminate the Blowfish and end their impressive season. 

The Owls and Blowfish are now an even 5-5 on the season and are as evenly matched as any pair of teams in the Coastal Plain League.