COLUMBIA – Hedbert Perez, Eduardo Garcia, Jeferson Quero, Jackson Chourio and Jheremy Vargas combined to hit seven home runs across both games of Saturday’s doubleheader in Columbia as the Carolina Mudcats swept the twin-bill 8-7 and 7-2 versus the Columbia Fireflies at Segra Park.

The Mudcats (32-29) slugged four home runs in game 1 and three in game 2 while sweeping both games of Saturday’s doubleheader. Perez homered twice in game 1 and Garcia homered twice across both games as the Carolina League North leading Mudcats remained in first place with just four games left in the first half title race.

Perez’s first homer in game 1 gave the Mudcats a 1-0 lead in the second. Garcia then followed with a solo shot for the first of two runs in the third as Carolina took a 3-0 lead. Columbia, however, came back in a big way after scoring five unearned runs in the fourth against starter Fernando Olguin and reliever Pablo Garabitos to take a 5-2.

Alexander Cornielle took over out of the pen in the fifth and would keep the Fireflies scoreless over the next two frames while the Mudcats closed the gap to 5-3 with a run-scoring hit from Chourio in the fifth.

The Mudcats were down 5-3 going into the seventh but would go on to take the lead after Quero and Perez went back-to-back with home runs off reliever Shane Connolly. Quero’s was a three-run blast that put Carolina up 7-5. Perez then made it 8-5 while hitting his second home run of the game. It was the first time that the Carolina offense had hit back-to-back homers this season.

The Fireflies were down 8-5 going into the seventh in game 1, but came back with two runs and three hits in the seventh off Cornielle to get within one of the lead. Cornielle (3-6), however, would go on to finish the game with a man left on base while earning the victory. Cornielle struck out four and allowed two runs on three hits in the game 1 victory.

Much like game 1, it was the long ball that carried the Mudcats to victory in game 2. Chourio gave the Mudcats a 2-0 lead in the third after hitting a home run off starter Shane Panzini. Columbia, however, came right back with two runs of their own after River Town hit a two-run home run off Carolina starter Miguel Segura. The Town home run was also the first hit allowed by Segura in his outing.

Game 2 was tied at 2-2 before the Mudcats homered twice, with big flies from Vargas and Garcia, to take a 4-2 lead. Carolina then added three more runs in the fifth, with two scoring on a RBI single from Jose Sibrian.

Columbia’s Carter Jensen later hit a home run in the sixth off reliever Jeferson Figueroa, but that would be all that Figueroa allowed in his outing. Figueroa was one of only two pitchers used in game 2 with him and Segura (2-1) combining to allow just two hits, both of which homers, in the twin-bill clinching victory. Segura allowed just one hit and two runs over five innings pitched. He also walked two and struck out four in his victorious start. Figueroa worked the final two innings while allowing one hit and one run.

GAME 1

Carolina 8 @ Columbia 7

June 18, 2022 | Venue : Segra Park | First pitch : 4:35 PM | Att : 4,934 | T : 2:10 (:02 delay)

CAR: 0 1 2 0 1 0 4 x x 8 7 1

COL: 0 0 0 5 0 0 2 x x 7 6 2

WP: Alexander Cornielle (3 - 6) LP: Shane Connolly (0 - 1)

HOME RUNS:

Carolina: Perez 2 (9, 2nd inning off Hernandez, B, 0 on, 0 out, 7th inning off Connolly, 0 on, 2 out); Garcia, E (7, 3rd inning off Hernandez, B, 0 on, 2 out); Quero (4, 7th inning off Connolly, 2 on, 2 out).

Columbia: Valdez (4, 4th inning off Garabitos, 2 on, 2 out).

TOP PERFORMERS - BATTERS:

Valdez, 3B (Columbia): 1-for-3, 1 R, 0 2B, 0 3B, 1 HR, 3 RBI

Vazquez, SS (Columbia): 2-for-4, 1 R, 1 2B, 0 3B, 0 HR, 1 RBI

Perez, LF (Carolina): 2-for-4, 2 R, 0 2B, 0 3B, 2 HR, 2 RBI

Chourio, CF (Carolina): 3-for-4, 2 R, 0 2B, 0 3B, 0 HR, 1 RBI

Quero, C (Carolina): 1-for-3, 1 R, 0 2B, 0 3B, 1 HR, 3 RBI

Garcia, E, SS (Carolina): 1-for-4, 1 R, 0 2B, 0 3B, 1 HR, 1 RBI

TOP PERFORMERS - PITCHERS:

Olguin (Carolina): 3.2 IP, 2 H, 4 R, 0 ER, 4 BB, 3 SO

Garabitos (Carolina): 0.1 IP, 1 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 0 BB, 0 SO

Cornielle (W, 3-6) (Carolina): 3 IP, 3 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 0 BB, 4 SO

Hernandez, B (Columbia): 3.2 IP, 3 H, 3 R, 2 ER, 0 BB, 3 SO

Stil (Columbia): 1 IP, 1 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 3 BB, 2 SO

SCORING:

Mudcats 2nd (Mudcats 1, Fireflies 0) -- Hedbert Perez hits a home run to right field on a 0-0 pitch. Jean Carmona strikes out swinging. Hendry Mendez grounds out, Dayton Dooney to Guillermo Quintana. Jesus Chirinos grounds out, Daniel Vazquez to Guillermo Quintana.

(1 Runs, 1 Hits, 0 Errors, 0 LOB)

Mudcats 3rd (Mudcats 3, Fireflies 0) -- Oswal Leones flies out to Erick Pena. Jheremy Vargas grounds out, Daniel Vazquez to Guillermo Quintana. Eduardo Garcia hits a home run to right field on a 3-2 pitch. Jackson Chourio singles to left field, Jackson Chourio advances to 2nd on fielding error by River Town. Jackson Chourio steals 3rd base, Jackson Chourio scores; throwing error by Carter Jensen. Jeferson Quero grounds out, Ben Hernandez to Guillermo Quintana.

(2 Runs, 2 Hits, 2 Errors, 0 LOB)

Fireflies 4th (Fireflies 5, Mudcats 3) -- Carter Jensen pops out to Jean Carmona in foul territory. Guillermo Quintana reaches on throwing error by Jean Carmona. Dayton Dooney grounds into a force out, Jesus Chirinos to Eduardo Garcia, Guillermo Quintana out at 2nd. Erick Pena walks, Dayton Dooney to 2nd. Wild pitch by Fernando Olguin, Dayton Dooney to 3rd; Erick Pena to 2nd. David Hollie doubles to left field, Dayton Dooney scores; Erick Pena scores. Felix Familia walks. Pitcher Change: Pablo Garabitos replaces Fernando Olguin. Enrique Valdez hits a home run to right field on a 2-1 pitch, David Hollie scores; Felix Familia scores. River Town grounds out to Jesus Chirinos.

(5 Runs, 2 Hits, 1 Errors, 0 LOB)

Mudcats 5th (Fireflies 5, Mudcats 4) -- Jesus Chirinos walks. Wild pitch by Matt Stil, Jesus Chirinos to 2nd. Oswal Leones walks. Jheremy Vargas strikes out swinging. Eduardo Garcia strikes out swinging. Jackson Chourio singles to center field, Jesus Chirinos scores; Oswal Leones to 3rd. Jeferson Quero walks, Jackson Chourio to 2nd. Pitcher Change: Shane Connolly replaces Matt Stil. Hedbert Perez pops out to Carter Jensen in foul territory.

(1 Runs, 1 Hits, 0 Errors, 3 LOB)

Mudcats 7th (Mudcats 8, Fireflies 5) -- Oswal Leones grounds out, Dayton Dooney to Guillermo Quintana. Jheremy Vargas walks. Eduardo Garcia flies out to David Hollie. Jackson Chourio singles to right field, Jheremy Vargas to 2nd. Jeferson Quero hits a home run to left field on a 1-0 pitch, Jheremy Vargas scores; Jackson Chourio scores. Hedbert Perez hits a home run to right field on a 1-0 pitch. Jean Carmona struck out looking.

(4 Runs, 3 Hits, 0 Errors, 0 LOB)

Fireflies 7th (Mudcats 8, Fireflies 7) -- Felix Familia strikes out swinging. Enrique Valdez flies out to Jackson Chourio. River Town singles to center field. Daniel Vazquez doubles to right-center field, River Town scores. Carter Jensen singles to right-center field, Daniel Vazquez scores.

(2 Runs, 3 Hits, 0 Errors, 1 LOB)

GAME 2

Carolina 7 @ Columbia 3

June 18, 2022 | Venue : Segra Park | First pitch : 7:23 PM | Att : 4,911 | T : 1:48

CAR: 0 0 2 2 3 0 0 x x 7 7 0

COL: 0 0 2 0 0 1 0 x x 3 2 0

WP: Miguel Segura (2 - 1) LP: Heribert Garcia (5 - 3)

HOME RUNS:

Carolina: Chourio (7, 3rd inning off Panzini, 1 on, 0 out); Vargas (2, 4th inning off Garcia, H, 0 on, 0 out); Garcia, E (8, 4th inning off Garcia, H, 0 on, 2 out).

Columbia: Town, R (8, 3rd inning off Segura, 1 on, 2 out); Jensen (8, 6th inning off Figueroa, 0 on, 2 out).

TOP PERFORMERS - BATTERS:

Town, R, LF (Columbia): 1-for-3, 1 R, 0 2B, 0 3B, 1 HR, 2 RBI

Jensen, DH (Columbia): 1-for-3, 1 R, 0 2B, 0 3B, 1 HR, 1 RBI

Garcia, E, DH (Carolina): 2-for-4, 2 R, 1 2B, 0 3B, 1 HR, 1 RBI

Chourio, CF (Carolina): 1-for-4, 1 R, 0 2B, 0 3B, 1 HR, 2 RBI

Vargas, 3B (Carolina): 1-for-2, 1 R, 0 2B, 0 3B, 1 HR, 2 RBI

Sibrian, C (Carolina): 1-for-3, 0 R, 0 2B, 0 3B, 0 HR, 2 RBI

TOP PERFORMERS - PITCHERS:

Segura (W, 2-1) (Carolina): 5 IP, 1 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 2 BB, 4 SO

Figueroa (Carolina): 2 IP, 1 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 0 BB, 1 SO

Panzini (Columbia): 3 IP, 3 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 3 BB, 4 SO

SCORING:

Mudcats 3rd (Mudcats 2, Fireflies 0) -- Eduardo Garcia doubles down the left-field line. Jackson Chourio hits a home run to right field on a 1-2 pitch, Eduardo Garcia scores. Jean Carmona singles to right field. Hedbert Perez flies into double play, Daniel Vazquez to Guillermo Quintana, Jean Carmona out at 1st. Hendry Mendez walks. Zack Raabe grounds out, Daniel Vazquez to Guillermo Quintana.

(2 Runs, 3 Hits, 0 Errors, 1 LOB)

Fireflies 3rd (Mudcats 2, Fireflies 2) -- Enrique Valdez walks. Omar Florentino strikes out swinging. Jean Ramirez strikes out swinging. Wild pitch by Miguel Segura, Enrique Valdez to 2nd. River Town hits a home run to right field on a 3-2 pitch, Enrique Valdez scores. Daniel Vazquez grounds out, Miguel Segura to Luis Silva.

(2 Runs, 1 Hits, 0 Errors, 0 LOB)

Mudcats 4th (Mudcats 4, Fireflies 2) -- Pitcher Change: Heribert Garcia replaces Shane Panzini. Jheremy Vargas hits a home run to left field on a 0-0 pitch. Jose Sibrian strikes out swinging, Omar Hernandez to Guillermo Quintana. Luis Silva grounds out, Enrique Valdez to Guillermo Quintana. Eduardo Garcia hits a home run to left field on a 0-1 pitch. Jackson Chourio grounds out, Daniel Vazquez to Guillermo Quintana.

(2 Runs, 2 Hits, 0 Errors, 0 LOB)

Mudcats 5th (Mudcats 7, Fireflies 2) -- Jean Carmona strikes out swinging. Hedbert Perez walks. Hedbert Perez steals 2nd base. Hendry Mendez singles to center field, Hedbert Perez to 3rd. Zack Raabe walks, Hendry Mendez to 2nd. Jheremy Vargas walks, Hedbert Perez scores; Hendry Mendez to 3rd; Zack Raabe to 2nd. Jose Sibrian singles to left-center field, Hendry Mendez scores; Zack Raabe scores; Jheremy Vargas to 2nd. Luis Silva flies out to Erick Pena, Jheremy Vargas to 3rd. Eduardo Garcia grounds out to Guillermo Quintana.

(3 Runs, 2 Hits, 0 Errors, 2 LOB)

Fireflies 6th (Mudcats 7, Fireflies 3) -- Pitcher Change: Jeferson Figueroa replaces Miguel Segura. River Town grounds out, Zack Raabe to Luis Silva. Daniel Vazquez struck out looking. Carter Jensen hits a home run to right field on a 3-1 pitch. Guillermo Quintana flies out to Jackson Chourio.

(1 Runs, 1 Hits, 0 Errors, 0 LOB)