The Wilmington Sharks are five back in the division, and six back of the final Wild Card spot with 17 games to play. Should be quite a stretch.

Coming off their third extra inning win in eight tries the Sharks will look to a right hander from the Land of Lincoln to bite the Blowfish for a second straight night. Plus, of all the Sharks, there may be just one to have at the plate with the game on the line late.

It's Mother's Monday out at the "Shark Tank" tonight. Moms can come out to the park and enjoy great perks all night. A perk for you right now, the latest edition of "Shark Bits."

Last Game Synopsis: Extra innings are more and more becoming
the norm for the Sharks as they once again needed more than
9 to pick up a 5-3 win in Columbia last night. The Sharks
led 3-2 into the eighth but an unearned run off of starter
J.C. Casey tied things, forcing extras. With one down and
two on in the 11th, Andrew Guerra singled home Curt
Courtwright to break the tie for good. Sean Toler picked up
his first win of the season with two scoreless frames.

Fly Away Home: Right handed pitcher and film buff Max
Friedman will make his seventh start of the season tonight
as the Blowfish come to town. Friedman is 1-3 on his six
starts this season with a 4.55 ERA. The Illinois native has
made two straight road starts and taken the loss in each,
but will be back at the “Shark Tank” tonight, where he has
lost just once this year.

Who Says We’re Only Supposed to Play 9?: Coming off back to
back extra inning games the Sharks are one more away from 
the franchise record for extended contests in a season. The
club is 3-5 in the eight so far in ‘09. That is two more
than Columbia who has played the second most extra inning
contests in the league. Three of the Blowfish six have come
against the Sharks. Wilmington is also is the only team in
the league to play in back to back extra inning games, and
the Sharks have done that three times.

Andrew’s Extras: For the second time this season Andrew
Guerra provided the game winning hit in extra innings. The
St. Louis Billiken has just two hits in extra frames this
year, but both have been game winners. His previous winner
was of the walk off variety in 12.

Keepin the Road Hot: This will be the fourth and final time
the Sharks will play a home and home series against the
Blowfish in ‘09. Of the six previous back to backs, the
Sharks have won two. The two clubs will still meet two more
times, once in Columbia and once back in Wilmington on the
last day of the regular season.