Columbia Fireflies Game Notes at Augusta 5.19
Published on May 19, 2026 under Carolina League (CarL)
Columbia Fireflies News Release
The Fireflies kick-off a series vs the Augusta GreenJackets at SRP Park tonight at 7:05 pm. RHP Michael Lombardi (2-1, 3.16 ERA) gets the nod for Columbia and Augusta counters with RHP Logan Forsythe (1-0, 4.70 ERA).
Columbia returns home Tuesday, May 26-Sunday, May 31. The team will celebrate Margaritaville Night presented by the South Carolina Education Lottery Friday, May 29. The first 1,000 in attendance will receive a free Fireflies-themed Hawaiian t-shirt. After that, Saturday, May 30 is Super Villain Night. Take a walk on the dark side at Segra Park and enjoy a pleasantly evil post-game fireworks show. Reserve your seat today at FirefliesTickets.com.
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FIREFLIES FALL 10-0 IN SERIES FINALE: The Fireflies fell flat, falling to the Hickory Crawdads 10-0 Sunday night at Segra Park. The pitching staff issued 10 walks and hit six Hickory players with a pitch during the contest. The Fireflies split the six-game set at Segra Park with Hickory 3-3. The Crawdads came out strong Sunday. Hickory scored four in the second inning after Hiro Wyatt issued two walks and hit two batters. Paulino Santana had the big knock. The centerfielder lined a double to left-center to score Wady Mendez and Luis Marquez to push Hickory to a 4-0 lead before the end of the frame. Wyatt worked three innings in the start for Columbia. The righty walked three and hit three batters with a pitch, allowing four runs before he turned things over to the bullpen.
STERLING STARTERS: The Fireflies starting rotation has the second-best ERA in Minor League Baseball this season. The group has recorded a 3-7 record combined with a 2.89 ERA over 158.2 innings through the first 39 games of the season. Fireflies starters have 169 strikeouts and have held opponents to a .209 AVG on the season. The Lakeland Flying Tigers, who have a 2.77 ERA through their first 120.1 frames this year currently sit in first place.
ONE-TWO PUNCHOUT: Michael Lombardi has been a master of the strikeout this season. Wednesday, he etched eight punchouts across four innings. All-in-All, Lombardi has the second-most strikeouts (47) in the Carolina League over 25.2 innings of work. Charleston's Aidan Cremarosa leads the pack with 55 punchouts this season. Jordan Woods isn't far behind the pace of the top two. Columbia's lefty is in third with 46 strikeouts in 2026.
VICTORY FOR VANEK: JC Vanek is hitting his offensive stride for the Columbia Fireflies. The first baseman has reached safely in 18-consecutive games, a streak that began April 18. It's tied with Kannapolis's Javier Mogollon for the fourth-longest active on-base streak in the Carolina League. Over the run, Vanek is hitting .321, but what's been most impressive is that he's averaging nearly a walk per game. After adding 17 walks, Vanek's on-base percentage jumps to .479 on the run. Vanek's streak is the longest for the Fireflies since Milo Rushford reached in 19-consecutive games from July 8-August 16, 2025. Rushford's on-base streak was the longest for the Fireflies during the 2025 season. Catcher Brooks Bryan isn't far behind the first baseman. Bryan has reached in 15-consecutive games in an on-base streak that began April 24. The Alabama native is hitting .315 on the run and has slapped five doubles to help drive in seven RBI.
RUMBLING RUSSELL: Stone Russell is in his second season as a super utility player for the Fireflies. The infielder has played third, second and first so far this season. Russell has played 33 games without an error this season, which is the second-best mark in the Carolina League. Hector Osorio leads the way with a 34-game streak.
STAR POWER: Friday, Kendry Chourio continued his strong start in his second season in the Carolina League. The Venezuela native spun 4.1 one-run innings with four strikeouts in his last start. The righty was recently added to MLB Pipeline's Top 100 prospects list. He is currently listed as the 79th-best prospect. With the news, 2022 Fireflies catcher Carter Jensen has graduated from Pipeline's Top 100 List and 2024 catcher Blake Mitchell currently sits in the 55 slot. Last weekend, Josh Hammond joined Kendry Chourio on the MLB Pipeline Top 100 prospects list. Hammond is the list's 96th-best prospect. It's the first time in team history Columbia has had two top-100 prospects simultaneously.
Carolina League Stories from May 19, 2026
- Wilson Marches to Fifth Straight in 14-8 Marathon Victory - Wilson Warbirds
- Fayetteville Falls to FredNats in Battle of Bullpens - Fayetteville Woodpeckers
- Warbirds Out-Slug Shorebirds in Series Opener - Delmarva Shorebirds
- 'Dads Dash Past RiverDogs 11-5 - Hickory Crawdads
- Aiven Cabral Asserts Dominance as Augusta Beats Columbia - Augusta GreenJackets
- Coppola Fans Career-High Nine, Birds Drop Series Opener to Cannon Ballers 3-1 - Myrtle Beach Pelicans
- Lombardi's Great Start Not Enough, Fireflies Fall 8-1 - Columbia Fireflies
- RiverDogs Blast Three Homers, Drop Series Opener to Hickory - Charleston RiverDogs
- Howlers Blow out RidgeYaks in Series Opener - Hill City Howlers
- Two Run First Inning Enough, FredNats Take Series Opener 3-1 Over Fayetteville - Fredericksburg Nationals
- Columbia Fireflies Game Notes at Augusta 5.19 - Columbia Fireflies
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