Bowser’s Walk-Off Double Gives Pelicans 11-10 Victory over Fireflies
Down to their final strike in the 11th inning, the Myrtle Beach Pelicans prevailed on a two-run walk-off double by Drew Bowser to steal the series finale 11-10 over the Columbia Fireflies on Sunday night. Three of the six games in the series went to extra innings. The win pushed
Down to their final strike in the 11th inning, the Myrtle Beach Pelicans prevailed on a two-run walk-off double by Drew Bowser to steal the series finale 11-10 over the Columbia Fireflies on Sunday night. Three of the six games in the series went to extra innings. The win pushed the Birds to a 27-35 record while the Fireflies slipped to 34-27.
Bowser (3-5, 2B, 4 RBI, BB) led the Pelicans’ lineup with four runs driven in and three hits. Jacob Wetzel (3-4, HR, RBI, 2 BB) hit a solo homer and reached base five times in the win. Chris Paciolla (3-5, 2B) collected three hits and scored a run for the Birds.
After pitching the final two innings, Shane Marshall (1-2) took the win after allowing two unearned runs. Starter Nico Zeglin tossed four scoreless innings while tallying five strikeouts. The bullpen allowed 10 runs with four being earned while throwing six wild pitches.
Despite scoring 10 runs, the Fireflies posted just three RBI from Johnny Perdomo (1-5, 2B, RBI), Daniel Vazquez (2-3, RBI, 2 BB), and Lizandro Rodriguez (1-4, 3B, RBI, BB). Columbia collected eight hits and walked six times in the loss.
Nicholas Regalado (2-3) blew the save and took the loss after allowing two runs, one earned in the bottom of the 11th. Yimi Presinal gave up most of the runs with five allowed and three earned in his 1 2/3 innings.
It was a scoreless game until the fifth when the Fireflies scored three. With runners on the corners, Perdomo reached on a fielding error by Christian Olivo at second base and the runner from third scored. Two wild pitches by Mason McGwire scored two more runs to put Columbia up 3-0.
The Pelicans answered in the bottom half as Olivo grounded into a force out at second with a runner from third scoring.
Two runs for the Birds tied it in the bottom of the sixth. Wetzel led off with a solo home run to right field for his fourth of the season. Bowser later hit an RBI infield single to short that plated a runner from third to tie the game 3-3.
The Fireflies stormed back for three runs in the seventh. With a runner on, Perdomo doubled to right to bring home a run. Later in the inning, Austin Charles struck out on a wild pitch with runners on second and third as the first run scored. The second runner scored on a throwing error home by Frank Hernandez as Columbia took a 6-3 lead.
A five-run seventh put the Pelicans in front for the first time. With two outs and the bases loaded, Andy Garriola and Bowser drew back-to-back walks to make it a one-run game. Chris Paciolla followed with a fly ball that Diego Guzman dropped in left field as all three runners scored and the Pelicans took an 8-6 advantage.
The score tied again when Columbia scored two in the eighth inning. With a runner on third, Rodriguez tripled to right field to bring the run in. He later scored on a double play to tie the game at eight.
Both teams scored in the 10th as Erick Pena came home on a wild pitch by Marshall and Frank Hernandez hit an RBI single in the bottom half to tie the game at nine.
The Fireflies went ahead again in the 11th on a sacrifice fly by Vazquez to take a 10-9 lead.
With two outs and a runner on third in the bottom half, Garriola was hit by a 0-2 pitch by Regalado to put two on base. Bowser came through for a double to left-center field that scored both runs and gave the Pelicans an 11-10 victory.
The Pelicans go on the road to face the Kannapolis Cannon Ballers starting on Tuesday at 7:00 p.m.