Columbia Fireflies Game Notes 5.3 vs Hickory
May 3, 2025 - Carolina League (CarL)
Columbia Fireflies News Release
The Fireflies kick-off their weekend with a 6:05 pm contest against the Hickory Crawdads at Segra Park. RHP Yunior Marte (0-1, 4.84 ERA) gets the nod for Columbia and Hickory counters with RHP Aneudis Mejia (1-1, 4.30 ERA).
Tonight is Bluey at the Ballpark presented by South Carolina Department of Social Services. Bluey and Bingo will be at the ballpark taking photos with fans and we'll have a fireworks show after the game! Buy your tickets at FirefliesTickets.com.
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FIREFLIES USE NOVAS DOUBLE, MCNAIR OUTBURST IN 7-5 WIN: The Columbia Fireflies used a three-hit night from Brennon McNair and a three RBI double from Josi Novas to beat the Hickory Crawdads 7-5 at Segra Park Friday night. Following a one hour and fifty-four minute delay, the Fireflies bats warmed up quickly. The Fireflies loaded the bases with one out against Michael Valverde and brought Josi Novas to the plate. The shortstop ripped a bases-clearing double to left-center to clear the bases and advance Columbia's lead to 6-1.Then the Hickory Crawdads got moving in the top of the fifth inning. The Rangers affiliate had nine batters come to the plate to score four runs. It made the game a one-run game once again. In the home half, Brennon McNair mashed his third homer of year to push the Fireflies lead to 7-5. McNair finished the night 3-3 with a walk. The left fielder was a triple shy of the cycle when he drew the walk in his final at-bat.
SPEED, I AM SPEED: Asbel Gonzalez tallied his second four stolen base game of the season for Columbia Tuesday. He now has two of the Fireflies four franchise games with four or more steals.The center fielder leads all of Minor League Baseball with 30 stolen bases. The next closest is Lynchburg's Tommy Hawke, who has 24 steals. Gonzalez is also riding a seven-game hitting streak that began April 25. He has scored eight runs and stolen eight bases over the run while hitting .435 in 23 at-bats. The outfielder has four walks and three hit by pitches compared to just three strikeouts which has pushed his on-base percentage over the stretch to .567.
OUT OF THE FRAY-NEL PAN: Fraynel Nova has been one of the Fireflies best arms out of the bullpen this year. Through his first seven games, Nova is 1-0 with a 0.87 ERA and one save. He has really kicked it into high gear since April 17. Nova hasn't allowed an earned run in his last 6.1 innings during his last four outings. The righty has held opponents to a .167 average on the run.
MILLER IS MAKING IT: Thursday, Mason Miller earned his Carolina League-leading third victory of the season after four scoreless innings in relief of Josh Hansell. Miller has been electric in a long-relief role for the Fireflies this year. His 1.02 ERA is the third-best in the Carolina League this season. The southpaw has 23 strikeouts in 17.2 innings and is holding a career-best 1.08 WHIP. Miller has not allowed a run since his first outing of the year April 4 and has worked 14-consecutive scoreless innings.
TASTING THE HOME COOKING: The Fireflies are 8-2 on their current 12-game homestand. The team has been red-hot at Segra Park this season, going 12-4 at home compared to a 5-4 record over their first nine road contests of the 2025 season.
CLIMBING THE LEADERBOARDS: Ramon Ramirez added his Carolina League leading fifth homer of the season Friday. Columbia's backstop also added a pair of RBI to give him 23 RBI on the season. He's tied Carolina's Josh Adamczeski for the most RBI in the League this year
BATS BUSINESS IS BOOMING: Columbia is second in the Carolina League in batting average (.270) and is second in stolen bases (74). The Fireflies also have the second-fewest strikeouts in the Carolina League (206).
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Carolina League Stories from May 3, 2025
- Eighty Deuces Drop Double Figures in Series-Clinching Win - Fayetteville Woodpeckers
- Fireflies Bounce Hickory 10-0 on Bluey Night - Columbia Fireflies
- Eighty Deuces Drop Double Figures in Series-Clinching Win - Fayetteville Woodpeckers
- Carolina Walks-off Myrtle Beach for Second Time in Series - Myrtle Beach Pelicans
- Mudcats Secure Walk-off Win Over Myrtle Beach - Carolina Mudcats
- FredNats and Red Sox Postponed Saturday - Fredericksburg Nationals
- Delmarva Falls in Back-And-Forth Game against Fayetteville - Delmarva Shorebirds
- RiverDogs, Hillcats Rained Out on Saturday - Charleston RiverDogs
- Hillcats Game Postponed - Lynchburg Hillcats
- Columbia Fireflies Game Notes 5.3 vs Hickory - Columbia Fireflies
- RiverDogs Drop Seventh Straight in 6-0 Loss to Hillcats - Charleston RiverDogs
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