Pelicans Fall in Eleven Innings 5-4 to Fireflies

By Sam Weiderhaft

For the second night in a row, the Myrtle Beach Pelicans dropped an extra-inning matchup 5-4 to the Columbia Fireflies. Thursday night’s game stretched 11 innings as the Birds dropped to 26-33 and the Fireflies moved up to 32-26.

Drew Bowser (2-4, 2B, RBI, BB) posted his first multi-hit game as a Pelican and drove in a run with a double in the first. Cristian Hernandez (2-4, 3B, BB) reached base three times and tripled in the opening frame. Reggie Preciado (1-5, HR, RBI) hit his first home run at Pelicans Ballpark with a solo shot in the fifth. The Pelicans left nine on base and went 1-for-8 with runners in scoring position.

Despite lasting a career-high 4 2/3 innings and matching his career-high with seven strikeouts, Angel Hernandez (0-1) took the loss with two runs, one earned in the top of the 11^th. Starter Jaxon Wiggins allowed one earned run in his three innings off four hits while striking out three. Marino Santy followed with a pair of earned runs in his three frames.

Erick Pena (3-5, HR, 3B, 2B, 4 RBI) delivered on multiple occasions while falling a single shy of the cycle to lead the Fireflies’ lineup. Daniel Vazquez (2-5, RBI) also knocked in a run in the victory.

With one unearned run in the final two innings, Doug Kirkland (2-3) grabbed the victory with two strikeouts to two walks. Starter Ethan Bosacker allowed three earned runs off six hits and a walk while striking out a career-high eight batters.

For the second game in a row, the Pelicans scored in the first inning. Following a two-out triple by Cristian Hernandez, Alfonsin Rosario lined an RBI single to left and came on Bowser’s RBI double for an early 2-0 lead.

Columbia got on the board in the third off an RBI single by Vazquez. They took the lead on Pena’s two-run homer to right field in the fourth for his fifth of the season to make the score 3-2.

Preciado tied the game on a solo homer to left-center in the bottom of the fifth for his fourth of the season.

The game stayed tied 3-3 into extra innings when the Fireflies went ahead with a two-run 11^th. With runners on second and third, Pena lined a double to right that brought both runners in as Columbia went ahead 5-3.

The Pelicans grabbed one in the bottom half on a sacrifice fly by Miguel Pabon but left the tying run on first as Ismael Mena struck out to end the game.

Friday’s game between the Pelicans and Fireflies is set for 7:05 p.m.