Columbia Fireflies Game Notes 5.19 at Fredericksburg
Published on May 19, 2023 under Carolina League (CarL)
Columbia Fireflies News Release
The Fireflies continue their series with the Fredericksburg Nationals tonight at Virginia Credit Union Stadium at 7:05 pm. RHP Shane Panzini (1-2, 3.03 ERA) climbs the hill for Columbia and Fredericksburg counters with RHP Riley Cornelius (1-2, 6.89 ERA).
Columbia returns home Tuesday, May 23 to start a six-game series with the Charleston RiverDogs. The week marks the return of Copa de la Diversíon weekend presented by Southern Recipe Small Batch Pork Rinds, where the Fireflies will become Los Chiccarones de Columbia for the weekend. Friday, the Fireflies will give away a soccer scarf for the first 1,000 fans through the gates thanks to Southern Recipe Small Batch and Saturday, we'll have a fantastic fireworks display. Tickets are still available at FirefliesTickets.com.
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FIREFLIES BLANK NATS IN THIRD STRAIGHT WIN: The Fireflies pitching staff was on fire again, as Frank Mozzicato led the way to a 6-0 victory in the club's fifth shutout of the season. Mozzicato (W, 1-2) set the pace with his third quality start of the season. The southpaw punched out seven in six, one-hit frames to keep Fredericksburg (11-23) at bay. The Fireflies have held the Nationals scoreless since the first out of yesterday's game (17.2 innings) and the bullpen has thrown 13 scoreless innings in the series. Frank Mozzicato is on the leaderboard for a lot of categories in the Carolina League this year. He leads the circuit in strikeouts (55), opposing batting average (.144) and innings pitched (35.1), he has the fifth-best ERA (2.04) and the seventh-best WHIP (1.08).
I'M LOOKING AT THE MAN IN THE MIRROR: David Sandlin and Frank Mozzicato have gone back-and-forth on the strikeouts leader board for the Carolina League this season. Thursday Mozzicato fanned seven to push his lead to eight with 55 punchouts this season. Nolan DeVos is tied with Sandlin with 47 strikeouts.
THE RIGHT FOOT: Tuesday, the Fireflies played the Nationals for the first time in franchise histroy. Although Columbia was trailing 4-0 after the third frame, the scored six after the fifth to win 6-4. Columbia won again Wednesday, 3-1 and Thursday, 6-0. Prior to the restructuring of Minor League Baseball, Columbia finished 15-15 against the Hagerstown Suns, who were the Nationals Class-A Affiliate.
MC-KLUTCH-MAN: Fireflies reliever Cooper McKeehan has been on a tear this road trip. The southpaw has three appearances, earning three saves since May 10. The reliever now has four saves and is tied with John McMillon for the second-most saves in the Carolina League
COMEBACK KUDRNA: After a tough start to the year, the Royals number two prospect, according to MLB.com, Ben Kudrna has put together three consecutive impressive starts. The righty worked his first quality start of the season May 4 vs Myrtle Beach and prior to allowing a solo homer in the fourth inning May 10 at Salem, had a 14.2 inning scoreless streak. The streak was the longest scoreless streak for a pitcher in the Carolina League this season. He's 2-0 with a 1.13 ERA in three starts this May.
IT'S A MAJOR AWARD: Columbia's relief pitcher Steven Zobac allowed a runner to reach scoring position for the first time this season Tuesday night, but the righty didn't allow anyone to score. Zobac has not allowed a run in his first 11 innings of the season, giving him the third-longest scoreless stretch of the season in the Carolina League. His performance has been good enough to earn him Carolina League Pitcher of the Month honors. He's the first Fireflies player to win a Carolina League monthly award.
PICKING PENA: Outfielder Erick Pena has hit his stride after struggling in the first 15 games of the season. The outfielder paces the team with five homers and is tied for the team lead with Daniel Vazquez with 21 RBI. So far in May, Pena is slashing .250/.404/.450 with two long balls and 12 RBI in as many games. That beats his April where he put up .093/.269/.296 with three homers and nine RBI in 17 contests.
Carolina League Stories from May 19, 2023
- Hillcats Down Red Sox, 5-3 - Lynchburg Hillcats
- Morel Homers, Pelicans Fall 8-1 to GreenJackets - Myrtle Beach Pelicans
- Mudcats Stifled in 6-0 Loss to Kannapolis - Carolina Mudcats
- Insurance Proves Crucial as Shorebirds Even Series - Charleston RiverDogs
- Frednats Rally To Take Down Fireflies 2-1 - Fredericksburg Nationals
- GreenJackets Smother Pelicans in Murphy's First Career Win - Augusta GreenJackets
- Fireflies Lose Amid On-Field High Jinx - Columbia Fireflies
- Friday Game Postponed - Down East Wood Ducks
- Augusta GreenJackets Partner with the Blood Connection to Ensure Stable Community Blood Supply - Augusta GreenJackets
- Columbia Fireflies Game Notes 5.19 at Fredericksburg - Columbia Fireflies
- Woodpeckers Shutout Woodies - Down East Wood Ducks
- McCullough Tosses First Cannon Ballers No-Hitter in Split of Doubleheader with Mudcats Thursday - Kannapolis Cannon Ballers
- GreenJackets, Pelicans Play Till Midnight in Close Loss Thursday - Augusta GreenJackets
- RiverDogs Win High-Scoring Affair with Shorebirds - Delmarva Shorebirds
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