The Wilmington Sharks never really got anything going offensively Tuesday night, and failed to take over first place in the CPL South Division with a 3-1 loss to Fayetteville.

The Sharks (5-3), just percentage points behind the Swampdogs (8-2) for first place going into the matchup, mustered only four hits – two of which coming off the bat of Aaron Preston – and drew four walks to account for all their baserunners in the game.

Aaron Preston had two of the Sharks four hits in the loss Tuesday night.

Fayetteville jumped ahead in the second inning when John Hogan was hit by a pitch to open the inning before he scored on a sacrifice fly from Dylan Brown three batters later. The Swampdogs added to their lead an inning later when Eric Grabe singled with two outs before scoring off a Sharks error two batters later.

The Sharks lone run came in the fourth, when Kenny Bryant reached via a walk with one out in the inning before Daniel Aldrich brought him home with an RBI single back up the middle.

Wilmington had chances late in the game, stranding two runners on base to end the sixth and eighth innings and leaving one runner on in the ninth.

Preston led the way for the Sharks with his two-hit night that also included a walk, while Aldrich and Bryant tallied the other two hits for the hosts.

For Fayetteville Eric Grabe was the only player to record two hits in the game, while four other Swampdogs tallied a hit a piece.

Jake Mayers (2-1) was saddled with his first loss of the season after allowing three hits and two runs while walking three batters over five innings of work. Sean Tracy (1-0) earned the win for Fayetteville after allowing only two hits and striking out four batters in 4-1/3 innings of work.

The Sharks continue their homestand on Wednesday night when they host the Columbia Blowfish on Miller Motte/Sunny 104.5 Kid’s Eat Free Night with gates opening at 6 p.m. with a 7:05 first pitch. Wednesday’s game is also AT&T Recycling Night where fans can turn in their old recycling books for a free ticket to the game.

With an opportunity to overtake the Fayetteville Swampdogs with a win and walk away with a doubleheader sweep, the Wilmington Sharks (5-2) were held to just two hits as they fell 6-0 to Fayetteville (7-2) on Monday night.

The Sharks mustered a hit in their opening at-bat in the first inning and one in their final at-bat, but fell victim to a great pitching performance from Fayetteville starter Dom Macaluso, who did not walk any batters while striking out six Sharks in the complete game victory.

Daniel Aldrich had one of the Sharks' two hits in the second game of the doubleheader Monday night.

In the first inning, the Sharks picked up a single from Jeff Moyer, while Daniel Aldrich singled in the seventh, but Wilmington did not put another runner on base in the game.

On Sunday night against Morehead City and in game one of the doubleheader, the Sharks had more runners reach base via the walk than by hits, but that was not the case in game two.

Sharks starter Stephen Vaughan didn’t make it through two innings on the mound, as he was pulled after going only 1-2/3 innings while allowing four Fayetteville runs on four hits and three walks.

The Sharks return home on Tuesday night when they open up a four-game homestand inside the friendly confines of the Shark Tank. On Tuesday night, the Sharks host Fayetteville on Allegiant Air Pack Your Bags Night where lucky fans will receive airline tickets. Tuesday is also another Time Warner Cable/Z 107.5 Two ‘fer Tuesday with 2-for-1 admission and hot dogs as well as $2 beverages. Fans can buy and print their tickets at http://www.wilmingtontickets.com/. Gates open at 6 p.m. and first pitch is scheduled for 7:05.

The Wilmington Sharks (5-1) grabbed a win in the opening game of a doubleheader in Fayetteville with a 6-3 win over the Swampdogs (6-2) in CPL South Division action Monday night.

A win in game two for the Sharks would give them sole possession of first place in the CPL South Division.

Chris O'Grady gave the Sharks six innings of work on the hill in the Sharks' game one win Monday night.

As has become common for the Sharks, they again came back from an early deficit by placing four runs on the board in the fourth inning, with all four runs coming off the bat of Kenny Bryant when he connected for a grand slam to push Wilmington into the lead.

Sharks starting pitcher Chris O’Grady earned his second win of the season with his six inning, six strikeout performance in which he allowed five hits and three earned runs.

For the second consecutive game, the Wilmington offense drew more walks – 6 – than they picked up hits, with five, but put the pieces together for the win.

Justyn Carter, Ricardo Lizcano, Jake Mayers, Jeff Moyer and Bryant

each tallied a hit apiece, with Bryant delivering four RBIs and Mayer driving in the other two RBIs in the Sharks win.

Down 2-0 heading to the fourth, the Sharks put together the four-run fourth inning before adding two more runs an inning later in the fifth to provide the difference, Fayetteville scored a single run in the first, third and fifth innings in the loss.