Columbia Fireflies Game Notes 6.15 vs Kannapolis
Published on June 15, 2025 under Carolina League (CarL)
Columbia Fireflies News Release
The Fireflies close out their series with the Kannapolis Cannon Ballers tonight at Segra Park at 5:05 pm. RHP Yunior Marte (3-3, 2.70 ERA) toes the rubber for Columbia and Kannapolis counters with LHP Kaleb Sophy (0-0, 2.33 ERA).
Tonight is the final night of Copa de la Diversion weekend! Join the Fireflies as they become Los Chicharrones de Columbia. There will be live music and dancing at the game. We're also celebrating Father's Day with a pre-game classic car and motorcycle show beginning at 3:30 and pre-game catch on the field with your dad. Post-game kids can run the bases thanks to Bang Back Pinball Lounge and we'll have a full-team autograph session. Buy your tickets now at FirefliesTickets.com.
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DOUBLEHEADER SWEEP VAULTS FIREFLIES TO FIRST: The Columbia Fireflies swept the Kannapolis Cannon Ballers with a pair of walk-off wins Saturday night at Segra Park. Hyungchan Um was the hero in game one, mashing a double to right-center to produce a 5-4 win for the Fireflies. Then in game two, Asbel Gonzalez was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded to score Milo Rushford to give Columbia a 3-2 win. Game One The Fireflies rallied their way back from an early deficit and walked off the Kannapolis Cannon Ballers with a thrilling 5-4 win in game one of Saturday's doubleheader at Segra Park. Trailing 4-2 heading into the bottom of the seventh, Columbia pieced together a comeback sparked by timely hitting and base running. Henry Ramos led off with a single, and Asbel Gonzalez followed with a walk to put two aboard. Angel Acosta laid down a bunt that turned into a run-scoring single thanks to a throwing error by third baseman Mikey Kane, bringing the Fireflies within one. Game Two Los Chicarrones de Columbia came alive late, scoring two runs in the bottom of the seventh to complete a comeback and defeat the Ajolotes de Kannapolis 3-2 on Saturday night at Segra Park. Los Chicarrones trailed for most of the night after Nathan Archer's two-run homer gave Kannapolis an early 2-0 lead. But Columbia's pitching staff kept the game within reach, and timely hitting helped them capitalize when it mattered most.
MASTER OF THE MISS: Friday night, Yunior Marte continued his solid start to the 2025 campaign. The 6'5" righty spun his third quality start of the year. He ranks among the Carolina League Leaders in most significant pitching statistics including ERA (6th, 2.83), strikeouts (4th, 45), innings pitched (1st, 47.2), opposing average (4th, .200) and WHIP (4th, 1.05). In his first full-season in the Carolina League, Marte has looked the part as Columbia's ace. Thursday he was awarded the Carolina League Pitcher of the Month Award for May. Marte began the month on a 15.1 innings scoreless stretch and paced the circuit in ERA over the course of May.
KEEPING TABS: The Columbia Fireflies are in first place in the South Division with four games left in the half. Columbia has a one-game lead over Kannapolis and owns the tie-breaker, meaning they enter Sunday with a magic number of three over the Cannon Ballers. Augusta and Charleston each have five games remaining and own the tie breaker over Columbia, which places the Fireflies magic number at four over those two teams.
STRONG START: Among the 15 teen pitchers in the Carolina League, lefty David Shields has the third-lowest ERA (2.11) after his first six starts. He has the highest K% in the group (29.9%), has the fifth-lowest opposing batting average (.154), has the 2nd-lowest WHIP (0.98) and the second-lowest BB% (5.7%). Shields has spun 21.1 innings across his first six starts in the Carolina League to a tune of a 2.11 ERA.
NO PLACE LIKE SEGRA PARK: Tuesday, Josi Novas launched his eighth homer of the season at L.P Frans Stadium. It was his first away from Segra Park. The homer also made him the fourth Fireflies player to homer in back-to-back games this season. Novas is batting .273 at Segra Park this season and he has the second-highest OPS (.883) on the team at home in 2025. Derlin Figueroa leads the pack with a home OPS of .955.
WALK-OFF MAGIC: This week the Fireflies have won three of their five games in walk-off fashion. It is the first time Columbia has had three walk-off wins in a week since August 23-28, 2022 against the Salem Red Sox.
Carolina League Stories from June 15, 2025
- Myrtle Beach and Hickory Split Doubleheader on Sunday - Myrtle Beach Pelicans
- RiverDogs and Augusta Battle to Doubleheader Split - Charleston RiverDogs
- Gonzalez Steal Home, Fireflies Win 3-2 - Columbia Fireflies
- FredNats Sweep Woodpeckers in Sunday Doubleheader, Win Series - Fayetteville Woodpeckers
- FredNats Sweep Doubleheader in Fayetteville for First Road Series Win - Fredericksburg Nationals
- Hillcats Clinch First Half Crown with Sweep of Carolina - Lynchburg Hillcats
- Delmarva Rallies to Win Father's Day Finale - Delmarva Shorebirds
- Mudcats Swept at Lynchburg - Carolina Mudcats
- Columbia Fireflies Game Notes 6.15 vs Kannapolis - Columbia Fireflies
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