Columbia Fireflies Game Notes 8.24 at Augusta
Published on August 24, 2025 under Carolina League (CarL)
Columbia Fireflies News Release
The Fireflies close out their season series with the Augusta GreenJackets tonight at 5:05 pm at SRP Park. LHP Dash Albus (7-2, 3.66 ERA) takes the hill for Columbia and Augusta counters with RHP Jacob Shafer (2-0, 3.00 ERA).
The Fireflies come home for their final homestand of the regular season August 26-August 31 at Segra Park. The team has plenty of great promotions on tap for the week, including their annual Pack the Park charity game Tuesday, August 26, Grateful Dead Night with a t-shirt giveaway is Friday, August 29 and Bluey Night presented by Scout Motors is set for Saturday, August 30. Buy your tickets now at FirefliesTickets.com.
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GONZALEZ SETS ANOTHER FRANCHISE MARK IN WIN: Asbel Gonzalez broke another Fireflies franchise record Saturday evening against the Augusta GreenJackets at SRP Park as the Fireflies bats broke out and beat Augusta 7-6. The Fireflies broke through in the top of the first inning. Tyriq Kemp flipped a single into right before a Luke Nowak double plated Kemp to give Columbia a 1-0 lead. The hit moved Nowak's hitting streak to eight games. It's the fourth-longest hitting streak for a Fireflies player this season. Later, Jose Cerice lifted a sacrifice fly to left to plate Nowak and increase Columbia's lead to 2-0.
THE YOUTH MOVEMENT: David Shields put together another good start for the Fireflies Tuesday. The southpaw worked 5.1 frames without surrendering an earned run. The Pennsylvania native hasn't allowed an earned run since July 9 over 26.1 innings. It is the fourth-longest streak (by innings) without allowing an earned run in franchise history. Ryan Ramsey owns the record (30.2 innings), which he accomplished from June 24-August 3, 2023.
ONE FOR THE RECORD BOOKS: Saturday night, Gonzalez broke the Fireflies career steals record in one season. Jean Ramirez had 68 steals from 2021-23 with the Fireflies. Gonzalez currently has the league lead with 69 steals. Columbia's center fielder also now owns the single-season runs scored record for the Fireflies. August 21 he scored his 71st run of the season to pass Erick Torres' 2024 mark.
NUMBERS BEHIND THE CLINCH: The Fireflies finished the first-half 36-30 to win the South Division Title for the first time in team history. It is the Fireflies first playoff berth in team history. The club will play their first home playoff game September 11 at Segra Park.
NOWAK RUNNING OUT OF THE GATE: Luke Nowak is officially through his first week with the Fireflies and the outfielder started things off with a bang. He closed out his first series with a four-hit game vs the Pelicans Sunday. It was the Fireflies second four-hit game of the series. Nowak went 7-14 overall against Myrtle Beach at Segra Park. He kept the hot stretch going against the Augusta GreenJackets. He currently has the fourth-longest hitting streak for a Fireflies player in the 2025 season. Nowak has hit safely in eight-straight contests and is 13-27 (.481) with four RBI and an additional eight walks, which has boosted his on-base percentage to .611 over the run.
BULLISH ON THE PEN: The Fireflies bullpen has been firing on all cylinders this week. Last night the pen allowed three runs over 5.2 innings of work. Through the first five games this week, relievers have spun 24.1 frames and have fanned 35 GreenJackets while allowing just four earned runs. The bullpen has a 1.48 ERA so far this week.
A TIGHT RACE: The Fireflies are 11-9 vs the Augusta GreenJackets this season. Overall Columbia has won 106 of the first 212 games the two clubs have played since 2016. Whoever wins today's game will have the series advantage entering the 2026 campaign.
THE BIG PICTURE: The Fireflies have 13 games remaining in the 2025 season. They'll close out the year with six at home against Hickory before six on the road at Myrtle Beach. The final series of the year could serve as a playoff preview.
Carolina League Stories from August 24, 2025
- Pelicans Walk-Off the RiverDogs in Eleven Inning Thriller - Myrtle Beach Pelicans
- FredNats Drop Second Straight to Fayetteville, 6-3 - Fredericksburg Nationals
- Cannon Ballers Roar Back in Final Inning to Steal Finale from Shorebirds - Delmarva Shorebirds
- RiverDogs Late Leads Slip in Chaotic Series-Ending Loss in Myrtle Beach - Charleston RiverDogs
- Fireflies Churn Ahead 6-5 in Extras - Columbia Fireflies
- Wild Walk-Off Win Gives 'Dads Series Victory - Hickory Crawdads
- Sox Clinch Series with Late 3-2 Win over Carolina - Salem Red Sox
- Salem Splits Doubleheader with Carolina, Taking Game One and Dropping Game Two - Salem Red Sox
- Late Rally Sends Salem Past Carolina - Carolina Mudcats
- Columbia Fireflies Game Notes 8.24 at Augusta - Columbia Fireflies
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