Columbia Starts the Second Half off on the Right Foot

COLUMBIA, SC – The Fireflies used a four-run seventh to upend the Charleston RiverDogs 7-4 and take the first game of the second half of the season at Joseph P. Riley Jr. Park Friday night.

The Fireflies (1-0) pushed away in the seventh inning. After loading the bases with one out in the seventh, Guillermo Quintana, Enrique Valdez and Omar Florentino hit three consecutive RBI singles to increase Columbia’s lead to 6-2. Then Jean Ramirez grounded into a fielder’s choice that scored a run, leaving runners on the corners in a 7-2 game.

Lead-off hitter River Town broke the game open on the third pitch of the ball game, smashing a homer over the right field wall. It was the Fireflies first lead-off long ball since Walter Rasquin hit one July 11, 2019 at Augusta.

The Fireflies kept the ball rolling in the third inning. With Daniel Vazquez at second, David Hollie reached on a two-out fielding error from Charleston’s (0-1) shortstop, allowing Vazquez to score and Columbia’s lead to swell to 2-0.

Columbia continued to add on later. In the fourth inning, the Fireflies loaded the bases with one out on RiverDogs’ starter Christian Fernandez. Town was at the plate again, and he came through for a second time, smashing a sacrifice fly to deep center field to score Guillermo Quintana and put the Fireflies in front 3-0.

Starter Shane Panzini worked 3.1 innings before being lifted for Heribert Garcia (W, 6-3) The New Jersey native allowed a pair of hits and one run before the bullpen took over. Garcia worked 4.2+2 batters before handing the ball to Shane Connolly (S, 1) with runners on first and second and no outs in the ninth. Connolly forced a 4-3 doubleplay and then a 1-6-3 ground out to end the game.

Charleston scored their first run in the home half of the fourth inning. After Nick Schnell roped a lead-off double down the right field line, he came home on a Nathan Perry groundout to first to bring the RiverDogs within a pair.

The RiverDogs clawed back into the game one last time in the bottom of the seventh, as Ryan Spikes left the yard with a two-run charge that again drew Charleston within three.

Columbia continues their series with the RiverDogs tomorrow evening at 6:05 pm at Joseph P. Riley Jr. Park. RHP Luinder Avila (3-6, 5.94 ERA) takes the slab for Columbia and Charleston counters with RHP Daiveyon Whittle (0-2, 3.71 ERA).

Independence Day is right around the corner! Have a blast at Segra Park the whole weekend with two of the largest fireworks displays in the history of Segra Park being blasted off! We'll start the weekend with Fireworks with the Phil, presented by Prisma Health July 2 and we'll keep the party going as the Fireflies take on the Myrtle Beach Pelicans July 4. Tickets are available at FirefliesTickets.com.