It took four and a half hours but after a season of heartbreak in "the Swamp" the Sharks picked up thier first win of the season at Fayetteville's J.P. Riddle Stadium 12-9 in thier last visit this year.

Six walks in the first inning and three singles in the second, staked the Sharks to an early 4-0 lead. Hunter Owen(Milsaps) picked up a sac fly in the first to get the Sharks on the board. Then in the second an Owen single loaded the bases after Ryan Graepel(North Carolina) and Bobby Leeper(UNC-Wilmington) singled. Graepel came home on a wild pitch that put the Sharks up 4-0.

Ryan Vander Tuig(San Jose State) started for the Sharks but a rough third inning for the California righty got the Swampdogs back into the game 5-4 before lightning and rain delayed the ballgame for just about 35 minutes.

Mike Alvarez(Florida Gulf Coast) stood on third when the game went to a break. Just two batters after the game resumed, Alvarez scampered home on a wild pitch to tie the game at five.

The game would not stay even long however. Jerry Young(Lipscome) came in to pitch in relief after the delay. Three walks and a hit batsman by the righty gave the lead back in the bottom of the fourth.

Down two in the top of the fifth, the Sharks would storm right back to tie the ballgame. After a lead single then a pair of walks, Graepel bounced a single into left to drive home two and knot things up at seven.

Peter Larson(Ferrum) came on in the fifth to hold things even at seven. In the top of the next frame after a one out single off the bat of Kolby Epley(College of Charleston), Neal Pritchard(Elon) put the Sharks back up with a blast to left for his second home run of the season. Three straight singles would load the bases yet again and a walk to Alvarez would bring home the Sharks 10th run of the ballgame.

Tyler White(Alabama) would get the call in the bottom of the sixth with the Sharks leading it 10-7. White would strand two runners while striking out two to hold the lead for the Sharks. Pritchard would help the Sharks expand that lead in the seventh smashing a ball past third to bring home Owen who had doubled.

Matt Freeman(Nebraska) and Graepel worked the last two frames to secure the win for Larson. Its his first win of the season as the Sharks move to 23-30.

The Wilmington club has two more games left in the season, both on the road. After an off day Sunday the Sharks will travel to Columbia and the wrap things up in Florence on Tuesday. Keep up with the Sharks on wilmingtonsharks.com.