COLUMBIA, S.C. (June 24, 2017) - Tim Tebow drove in two runs as the Columbia Fireflies rallied in the late innings to beat the Intimidators, 4-3, on Saturday night at Spirit Communication Park in Columbia, S.C. Kannapolis (2-1 Second Half, 41-30) held the lead until the ninth inning when Columbia's
COLUMBIA, S.C. (June 24, 2017) - Tim Tebow drove in two runs as the Columbia Fireflies rallied in the late innings to beat the Intimidators, 4-3, on Saturday night at Spirit Communication Park in Columbia, S.C. Kannapolis (2-1 Second Half, 41-30) held the lead until the ninth inning when Columbia's Jay Jabs scored the winning run on a walk-off wild pitch from Ben Wright.
Columbia score two in the seventh and two in the ninth to steal the game. Tebow finished 0-for-3 but came through when the Fireflies needed him. Trailing 3-0 in the seventh inning, Milton Ramos and Tebow hit back-to-back sac-flies to score Dash Winningham and Jabs to pull Columbia within a run.
Kannapolis turned to Wright in the ninth, and the reliever walked the first two batters he faced. Ramos laid down a sac-bunt to put the tying and winning runs in scoring position. Tebow followed with an RBI-groundout to first base to tie the game, and one pitch later, Jabs crossed the plate on a wild pitch to Dan Rizzie.
Columbia reliever Adonis Uceta (3-0) earned the win while Wright (1-6) took the loss.
Aaron Schnurbusch put Kannapolis on the board first with a 2-run home run (1)to left field in the top of the third inning. The Intimidators added to their lead in the fifth. Mitch Roman singled with one out and went first-to-third on a Schnurbusch base hit. Micker Adolfo followed with a run-scoring single for a 3-0 lead.
Intimidators pitchers combined to allow just two hits in the game, matching the lowest hits allowed by the staff in a game this season. Starter Yelmison Peralta did not allow a hit in 2 and 2/3 innings, and Kelvis Valerio kept the Fireflies off the board through the sixth before putting two men on base in the seventh. Kevin Escorcia worked 1 and 2/3 scoreless relief innings, allowing one inherited runner to score.
Kannapolis wraps up this 4-game series at Columbia on Sunday at 5:05 p.m. as RHP Blake Hickman (0-1, 2.92 ERA) takes the mound for the Intimidators against Fireflies LHP Thomas Szapucki (1-1, 3.86 ERA). The team returns to Intimidators Stadium supported by Carolinas HealthCare System on Monday, June 26, to open an 8-game home stand. Tickets are available by calling the F&M Bank Box Office at 704-932-3267 or by visiting IntimidatorsBaseball.com.
