The Fayetteville SwampDogs split a doubleheader with the Wilson Tobs at Fleming Stadium on Wednesday night, moving their season record to 33-20.

Game one was one of the most exciting games the Dogs have played all year, as late inning heroics lifted them to an 8-5 victory.

After falling behind 1-0 early, the Dogs knotted things up in the fourth, as Sal Giardina (Lynn) drove in Connor Obrochta (Tampa) with an RBI-groundout to first base.

Zach Gawrych gave the Dogs a 2-1 advantage in the fifth frame when he singled up the middle to score Jacob Golliday (Francis Marion). Golliday had led off the inning with his first triple of the season to right center field.

The Tobs tied the game in their half of the inning, but Fayetteville regained the lead with two runs in the sixth inning. After Reed Harper (Austin Peay) singled to begin the inning, Giardina was hit by a pitch to put runners on first and second. Tyler Ding (Tampa) laid down a sacrifice bunt to move the runners to second and third, before Blake Beemer (Ball State) ripped a single to score them both.

Wilson took a 5-4 lead after connecting on a three-run home run in the sixth, and the Dogs trailed by a run with three outs remaining.

John Howell (Binghamton) and Joe Ciamacco (Ohio State) recorded back-to-back singles to begin the seventh inning, and were sacrificed up to second and third by Obrochta. After Giardina was walked intentionally to load the bases, Tyler Ding hit a three-run triple to center field to give the Dogs a two-run lead. Beemer picked up another clutch hit by singling to right field as Ding scored on the play.

Ding finished the game 2-2 with a double, a triple and three RBIs. He now has nine doubles on the season, good for most on the SwampDogs.

Fayetteville saw themselves trailing 4-0 after two innings in game two, but fought back to make it a close ball game.

Andrew Parker (Towson) led off the third frame with a double, and was followed by a Howell walk to put runners on first and second. Ciamacco then singled to load the bases, and Obrochta walked to bring in the first run of the game.

Parker duplicated his first at-bat in the fifth innings when he led off the inning with his second double of the game. Ciamacco later walked in the inning, and both players came in to score on a Reed Harper two-run single.

The Dogs tied the game at four in the sixth inning, as Tyler Ding scored on a wild pitch from third base. He had picked up a one-out walk before advancing to third on a two-base throwing error on a pickoff attempt.

Wilson picked up a run in the sixth to take a 5-4 advantage and held on for the victory. Golliday and Dale Urquhart, Jr. (Western Carolina), both positional players, combined to pitch six innings for the Dogs. Urquhart, Jr. had retired six straight Tobs at one point, and allowed just one run. 

The next SwampDogs home game is on Thursday, August 2nd, where it's Fan Appreciation Night at the ballpark. The first 500 fans will receive the newest edition of the Fun-Go Bobblehead, and there will be plenty of giveaways and prizes all night long. The game action will be followed by the fourth and final Fireworks Extravaganza of the summer.

Playoff tickets are available, as the Dogs will host at least one postseason game this upcoming weekend. To order your tickets for any game, visit or call the business office at (910)-426-5900, and for updated playoff information, log on to www.goswampdogs.com.