Fireflies Slug Their Way to 16-3 Win

COLUMBIA, SC – The Fireflies bats came to play, scoring a season-best 16 runs as they toppled Myrtle Beach 16-3 Sunday at Segra Park.

Columbia started scoring early. Daniel Vazquez started the game with a single in his first game as a lead-off hitter this season. Next, Carson Roccaforte and Brett Squires drew walks to load the bases with only one out. Trevor Werner grounded out to third to score Vazquez and break the scoreless tie. After a Jared Dickey walk, Roger Leyton smashed a two RBI single over shortstop Cristian Hernandez’s head to score Brett Squires and Jared Dickey to push Columbia’s lead to 4-0.

The next inning resulted in more of the same for Columbia. Vazquez hit a double and Roccaforte reached on a fielder’s choice to leave runners at the corners with one out for Austin Charles, who walked to load the bases for Squires. Squires hit a sacrifice fly to the warning track to make Columbia’s lead 5-0. Werner then roped a double to right to bring Roccaforte and Charles home. Finally, Dickey singled to score Roccaforte to add a second four-run inning for the Fireflies as they moved to the third with an 8-0 lead.

The Fireflies didn’t stop scoring there though. In the fifth they added four more, highlights from a Brett Squires three-run moonshot. It was the first baseman’s 11^th homer of the season and moved his RBI total to a team-best 52 on the season. At the close of the fifth, Columbia led 12-0.

In the sixth inning, it was more of the same for Columbia. The Fireflies scored four more off two walks, a hit batter and a fielder’s choice to counter the two-run top of the inning to make the score 16-2 heading into the final third of the game.

Mauricio Veliz (W, 4-6) spun his third quality start in his last four games Sunday. The righty allowed a pair of runs across six frames. He finished the night with two strikeouts and one walk before he turned things to the bullpen.

The first pitcher from the pen was Chazz Martinez, who worked a 1-2-3 seventh, throwing just 10 pitches to retire the Pelicans. Elvis Novas was the second arm Columbia used. Novas allowed one run in the eighth and Eduardo Herrera closed the game with a scoreless ninth.

Following the off day, Columbia heads to Zebulon to open up a six-game series with the Carolina Mudcats. Both teams have yet to name their starters.

The Fireflies will come home for one last homestand at Segra Park in 2023 as they face the Delmarva Shorebirds August 29-September 3. We’ll host Retro Video Game Night, a Budweiser Thirsty Thursday and will wrap up the season with a Sunday Funday. Tickets are available at FirefliesTickets.com