But the only finger-pointing from the team afterwards was directed at themselves as the Fayetteville SwampDogs (13-13) defeated Wilson 4-1 in Coastal Plain League summer collegiate baseball action in Fleming Stadium.
Wilson (11-14) was trying to win three straight for just the second time this season. The feat was last achieved June 10-12.
"It's just a matter of execution," said visibly disappointed Tobs manager Jeff Steele. "They scored all four of their runs on three two-out hits and we certainly didn't -- we needed an unearned run to score."
Fayetteville's pitching was a big reason the Tobs struggled at the plate. Starting pitcher Aaron Martin (3-1) allowed no earned runs and five hits in 7 1/3 innings. Southpaw Derrick Lowery came in for the final five outs for the save.
The Tobs still had scoring chances, but couldn't find ways to get runs home, stranding 10 runners on the night.
Catcher Chris Henderson and second baseman Kevin Weidenbacher were the only Tobs with more than one hit as both went 2 for 3.
Henderson led off the eighth with a double and reached third on a sacrifice bunt by Weidenbacher. But the next two batters were retired to leave him stranded, highlighting a problem the Tobs have been plagued by all season.
"Our inconsistency is the reason for our struggles," Steele said without hesitation. "Last night we found a way to scratch and claw for a win but tonight we played pretty uninspired."
Wilson stranded two runners in the first and left the bases loaded in the third. Meanwhile, Fayetteville struck for two runs in the second on Ryan Lowe's seeing-eye single.
Weidenbacher scored the lone run in the third on Fayetteville's second error of the inning.
In the fifth, Henderson walked and Weidenbacher singled with two down, but Ryne Mantooth grounded out to strand another pair of runners.
"We can't seem to string our hits together and get the important hits," Henderson said.
He also emphasized the importance of executing with wooden bats as opposed to just slugging it out with the aluminum variety college players use during the school season.
"It's more of a smaller game when you use wood," he said. "You don't get those doubles in the gap and stuff, so the team that grinds it out usually gets the win and they just seemed to want it a little more tonight."
Pitchers Ryan Byrd and Andrew Wilson made their first appearances for the Tobs.
Byrd, just in from Omaha, Neb., where he was a member of Louisiana State University's team that reached the College World Series. The left-hander went five innings, allowed two runs (both earned) on five hits with four walks and four strikeouts.
Wilson, pitching for the first time since late May, allowed two runs in four innings of work.
The left-hander from Liberty University ran into tough luck in the ninth with the Tobs just trailing 2-1.
With a runner on third base, Dustin Johnson jammed a one-hopper just over Wilson. Weidenbacher fielded the ball but had no play to allow another two-out run to score.
Peter Bangs added another two-out RBI with a solid single.
Fayetteville manager Darrell Handelsman applauded his team's effort after losing a 12-inning game to Florence Thursday night.
"We got the hits when we needed and I'm proud of the way the guys battled," he said.
The Tobs travel to Fayetteville tonight and return to Fleming on Monday to wrap up the first half against the Wilmington Sharks.
The Tobs' newly acquired left-hander Alex Meyer will start tonight.
bhowell@wilsontimes.com | 265-7879