Fireflies Rally for Doubleheader Split

Columbia, SC – The Fireflies rallied behind the bullpen and a late Austin Charles homer to split a doubleheader with the GreenJacketsa. Columbia lost the first game 8-0 before winning the second game 6-5.

Game One

Columbia continued their game with Augusta from July 6, trailing 6-0 in the fourth inning Tuesday at SRP Park and ended up losing 8-0 after the second half was completed.

The only runs scored by Augusta after the game restarted came from a Henry Owen two-run homer in the fourth that plated Will Verdung.

Jonatan Bernal was the only pitcher Columbia needed and he went five frames allowing three hits and two runs to get Columbia to the second game of the doubleheader.

Garrett Baumann (W, 6-2) picked things up for Ian Anderson and didn’t miss a beat. The righty worked 5.2 scoreless innings with six strikeouts for the GreenJackets.

The GreenJackets got on the board in the first inning. Will Verdung doubled to score Isaiah Drake to break the scoreless tie. In the second, Leiker Figueroa launched a sacrifice fly off Mauricio Veliz to increase Augusta’s lead to 2-0.

The big blow came in the third. Noah Williams launched his first homer of the season, a grand slam, beyond the right field fence to make Columbia’s deficit 6-0.

Ian Anderson was the only pitcher required for Augusta. The big righty worked three scoreless innings in his second rehab appearance for the GreenJackets.

Game Two

Columbia’s rally started in the top of the fourth inning. With runners at second and third, Daniel Vazquez lifted a sacrifice fly to center to plate Colton Becker to cut the GreenJackets lead to two. Next, the GreenJackets issued back-to-back walks to Blake Mitchell and Austin Charles to trot Torres around to a 4-3 score.

The next inning, Erick Torres laced a double to left to bring Hyungchan and Callan Moss around, flipping the script to give the Fireflies their first lead of the doubleheader.

Austin Charles closed out the scoring for Columbia in the top of the sixth inning. The third baseman smashed his 10^th homer of the season to provide Columbia with some insurance and a 6-4 lead. The homer was Charles’ 10^th homer of the season. He’s the fourth Fireflies player to crack double digit homers this year, joining Blake Mitchell, Erick Pena and Derlin Figueroa.

The GreenJackets jumped on Fireflies starter Mauricio Veliz in the first inning of game two as well. First, Columbia’s starter issued a walk to Will Verdung with the bases loaded to tie the game 1-1. Then, Jake Steel lined a single to right to plate Junior Garcia and Titus Dumitru to open up a 3-1 lead. A fielder’s choice and a throwing error allowed Verdung to score to lead Augusta to a 4-1 lead heading into the second inning.

Veliz was able to muster through three innings, working a scoreless second and third before getting the ball to the bullpen. Julio Rosario (W, 2-0) worked the fourth and the fifth without allowing a run before Elvis Novas (S, 8) spun the sixth and the seventh. Novas allowed one run off a sacrifice fly in the sixth, but worked through a clean seventh inning.

Columbia continues their series with the Augusta GreenJackets tomorrow night at 7:05 pm at SRP Park. RHP Felix Arronde (4-8, 3.23 ERA) takes the hill for Columbia and Augusta has yet to name their starter for the contest.

The Fireflies return home for their final homestand of the regular season September 3-8. They’ll close out the year with three firework shows, Harry Potter Night presented by Lowe’s Foods with a Hogwarts House Scarf giveaway and USC Night presented by E.F. Martin with a rally towel giveaway. Buy your tickets now at ColumbiaFireflies.com.