By Thomas Grant Jr.

Down 7-0 at Forest City after two innings, it appeared the Lexington County Blowfish’s chances as repeating as Coastal Plain League champion were sunk.

Over the next seven innings, the Blowfish found their winning “stroke”. They scored 12 unanswered runs and held on for the 12-9 victory in Game 3 of the Petitt Cup first-round Best-of-Three series.

It marked the second straight year Lexington County had rallied from an 0-1 deficit to defeat the Owls. The déjà vu extends into the next round where the Blowfish once again faces the Wilmington Sharks in the Petitt Cup final.

Last year, Lexington County rallied from a 0-1 series deficit to defeat the Sharks and claim the organization’s second CPL title.

Brookland-Cayce graduate Ty Marshall of Clemson and Breon Ishmael both had three hits as part of a 14-hit attack effort by Lexington County. Marshall, River Bluff graduate Walker Mitchell and Todd Hudson all drove in two runs each to spark the comeback.

Forest City scored two runs in the first inning and five in the second off starter Sean Hollister. Over the next four innings, Landry Mead allowed just three hits and struck out five to keep the Owls scoreless.

Slowly, Lexington County began to cut into the deficit. After Marshall’s RBI put the Blowfish on the board in the fourth, they scored at least 2 or more runs in each of the final five innings.

Mitchell gave Lexington County the lead for good in the Top 8th on an RBI sacrifice fly to score Ishmael.

Down 12-7, the Owls mounted a final rally against reliever Cade Bouknight with two runs in the Bottom 9th. Trent Turner was the tying run at the plate with two outs but popped out to Dutch Fork graduate Evan Stone of the University of South Carolina in centerfield to end the game.

Game 1 of the Petitt Cup final takes place Thursday at Lexington County Baseball Stadium. The series then shifts to Wilmington Friday for Game 2 and (if necessary) Game 3.

Tickets for Thursday’s game are available right now at www.goblowfishbaseball.com.