Mudcats Earn Series Splitting 6-0 Victory in Home Finale

Columbia 0 @ Carolina 6
September 04, 2022 | Venue : Five County Stadium | First pitch : 1:00 PM | Att : 2,086 | T : 2:25
COL: 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 5 1
CAR: 1 0 0 2 0 1 2 0 x 6 6 1
WP: Fernando Olguin (3 - 3) LP: Luinder Avila (6 - 10)

ZEBULON –Jace Avina went 2-for-4 with a home run in the sixth and a two-run single in the seventh, Eduarqui Fernandez hit a two-run home run in the fourth, Robert Moore scored twice, and pitchers Logan Henderson and Fernando Olguin combined on a five-hit shutout as the Carolina Mudcats defeated the Columbia Fireflies 6-0 in what was the final home game of the 2022 season at Five County Stadium.

Henderson started for the Mudcats (33-27, 67-59) and pitched through three scoreless innings with six strikeouts, three hits and one walk. He also set career-highs in both innings with three and pitches with 58 (40 strikes) in what was his fourth start with Carolina. Olguin (3-3) took over for Henderson in the fourth went on to work through six scoreless frames while also totaling six strikeouts and scattering two hits.

The Mudcats originally led 1-0 in the first after Moore walked, stole second, advanced to third on a single by Eric Brown Jr. and scored on a RBI ground out from Jesus Chirinos. Fernandez then hit a two-run home run in the fourth to lift the Carolina lead to 3-0. Avina went on to drive in the final three Carolina runs as he hit a solo home run in the sixth and had a two-run single with two-outs in the seventh. Moore scored on Avina’s single after starting that rally with a two-out hustle double.

Luinder Avila started for the Fireflies (33-26, 51-74) and ended up with the loss after allowing Moore’s run in the first and the Fernandez home run in the fourth. Avila (6-10) pitched through sixth with three runs, two hits, three walks and four strikeouts. Reliever Ben Sears worked the seventh and part of the eighth while allowing three runs on three hits. Two of Sears’ hits were allowed to Avina and included his home run and two-run single. Luis Barroso finished the game an inning and 1/3 scoreless for Columbia.

The victory was Carolina’s second straight and lifted them into a 3-3 series split with the visiting Fireflies. The Mudcats finished the 2022 season with a 42-24 home record, giving them 42 victories at home for the first time since the 2015 season.

Despite the victory, Carolina’s elimination number fell to two with only six games remaining.

Following the game the Mudcats announced that Jackson Chourio earned the club’s 2022 Willie Duke Award. Hedbert Perez was honored with the Ed Hales Award. The Willie Duke Award is the club’s most valuable player award and is presented annually to the player who best symbolizes the spirit and dedication to baseball exhibited by Willie Duke. The Ed Hales Award is presented annually in recognition of the player(s) who best exemplifies unselfish spirit, dedication and commitment to the community.

HOME RUNS:
Carolina: Fernandez (3, 4th inning off Avila, 1 on, 1 out); Avina (5, 6th inning off Sears, 0 on, 0 out).

TOP PERFORMERS - BATTERS:
Avina, CF (Carolina): 2-for-4, 1 R, 0 2B, 0 3B, 1 HR, 3 RBI
Fernandez, LF (Carolina): 2-for-3, 1 R, 0 2B, 0 3B, 1 HR, 2 RBI
Moore, 2B (Carolina): 1-for-3, 2 R, 1 2B, 0 3B, 0 HR, 0 RBI
Vaz, LF (Columbia): 2-for-4, 0 R, 0 2B, 0 3B, 0 HR, 0 RBI
Wallace, 3B (Columbia): 1-for-4, 0 R, 1 2B, 0 3B, 0 HR, 0 RBI
Quintana, 1B (Columbia): 1-for-4, 0 R, 1 2B, 0 3B, 0 HR, 0 RBI

TOP PERFORMERS - PITCHERS:
Henderson (Carolina): 3 IP, 3 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 6 SO
Olguin (W, 3-3) (Carolina): 6 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 6 SO
Avila (L, 6-10) (Columbia): 5 IP, 2 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 3 BB, 4 SO
Barroso (Columbia): 1.1 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 2 SO

SCORING:
Mudcats 1st (Mudcats 1, Fireflies 0) -- Robert Moore walks. Robert Moore steals 2nd base. Eric Brown Jr. singles to deep shortstop. Jace Avina flies out to Levi Usher. Robert Moore steals 3rd base, Eric Brown Jr. steals 2nd base. Jesus Chirinos grounds out, Daniel Vazquez to Guillermo Quintana, Robert Moore scores. Hendry Mendez flies out to Javier Vaz.
(1 Runs, 1 Hits, 0 Errors, 1 LOB)

Mudcats 4th (Mudcats 3, Fireflies 0) -- Jesus Chirinos flies out to Levi Usher. Hendry Mendez walks. Eduarqui Fernandez hits a home run to left-center field on a 0-0 pitch, Hendry Mendez scores. Branlyn Jaraba strikes out on foul tip. Jheremy Vargas strikes out swinging.
(2 Runs, 1 Hits, 0 Errors, 0 LOB)

Mudcats 6th (Mudcats 4, Fireflies 0) -- Pitcher Change: Ben Sears replaces Luinder Avila. Jace Avina hits a home run to left field on a 1-0 pitch. Jesus Chirinos strikes out swinging. Hendry Mendez flies out to Levi Usher. Eduarqui Fernandez walks. Eduarqui Fernandez steals 2nd base. Branlyn Jaraba struck out looking.
(1 Runs, 1 Hits, 0 Errors, 1 LOB)

Mudcats 7th (Mudcats 6, Fireflies 0) -- Jheremy Vargas struck out looking. Alex Hall strikes out swinging. Robert Moore doubles to center field. Throwing error by Ben Sears on the pickoff attempt. Eric Brown Jr. walks. Eric Brown Jr. steals 2nd base. Jace Avina singles to left field, Robert Moore scores; Eric Brown Jr. scores. Pitcher Change: Luis Barroso replaces Ben Sears. Jesus Chirinos walks, Jace Avina to 2nd. Hendry Mendez grounds out, Dayton Dooney to Guillermo Quintana.
(2 Runs, 2 Hits, 1 Errors, 2 LOB)