The Fayetteville SwampDogs won the first game of the best-of-three Petitt Cup Championship series on Sunday night, as they defeated the Columbia Blowfish 4-2.

Fayetteville starter Jimmie Davis (UNC-Pembroke) was outstanding in six innings of work, allowing just two hits and one run. The back end of the Dogs' bullpen allowed one run in three innings, as Hardin-Simmons' James Simmons and Tyler Brunnemann maintained the lead.

The SwampDogs struck first and never looked back, as a two-out rally in the third inning gave them a 2-0 lead. Tyler Ding (Tampa) ripped a double to put himself into scoring position, and was driven home by a Mike Tauchman (Bradley) base hit. Reed Harper (Austin Peay) followed with a double of his own, scoring the speedy Tauchman from first base.

Columbia plated a run in the bottom of the sixth, making it 2-1 in favor of the SwampDogs. Fayetteville went on to add two more runs in the top of the seventh, however, as they took a three-run lead. John Howell (Binghamton) led off the inning and was hit by a pitch, and moved up to second base by a Ding single. After Tauchman walked to load the bases, Harper drove in both Howell and Ding with a double into left center field.

The Blowfish scored once in the seventh, but Simmons and Brunnemann combined for no earned runs in the game.

The SwampDogs will host Game 2 at "The Swamp" on Monday, August 13th at 7:05pm. For tickets, visit or call the business office at (910)-426-5900, and for all things SwampDogs log on to www.goswampdogs.com.