Columbia Fireflies Game Notes vs Charleston June 23
June 23, 2022 - Carolina League (CarL)
Columbia Fireflies News Release
Tonight, the Fireflies close out the first half of the season vs the Charleston RiverDogs at Joseph P. Riley Jr. Park at 7:05 pm. A Charleston win and a Myrtle Beach loss would allow the defending Low-A East League Champions to clinch a playoff berth. Columbia works RHP Ben Hernandez (0-4, 5.08 ERA) while Charleston sends out LHP Antonio Jimenez (3-3, 4.41 ERA).
Independence Day is right around the corner! Have a blast at Segra Park the whole weekend with two of the largest fireworks displays in the history of Segra Park being blasted off! We'll start the weekend with Fireworks with the Phil, presented by Prisma Health July 2 and we'll keep the party going as the Fireflies take on the Myrtle Beach Pelicans July 4. Tickets are available at FirefliesTickets.com.
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BATS BLANKED BY RIVERDOGS 11-0 WEDNESDAY: The Columbia Fireflies bats were silenced for a second-consecutive night vs the Charleston RiverDogs, as they fell 11-0 at Joseph P. Riley Jr. Ballpark Wednesday night.Columbia (18-47) starter Frank Mozzicato (L, 0-3) fanned a career-high five hitters for a second consecutive start, but was chased off the bump after allowing four runs (three earned) across 2.2 innings at the Joe. After Mozzicato dealt a lead-off walk to Ryan Spikes, a Bobby Seymour two out single brought him home. During the next at-bat, the RiverDogs (45-20) executed a double steal with Seymour and Mason Auer that plated the latter, pushing Charleston to a 2-0 lead. In the second, Mozzicato tossed a wild pitch to walk Oneill Manzueta and in the process, Kenny Piper, who doubled to lead-off the inning, scampered home to increase Charleston's lead to 3-0. In the third, a pair of Fireflies errors allowed to Nick Schnell scoring the final run charged to Mozzicato.
AT THE BUZZER: Two Fireflies hitters have been going back-and-forth for the homer and runs batted in lead for Columbia, and after game two of yesterday's doubleheader, both Carter Jensen and River Town are tied atop the leaderboard again with eight homers. In Sunday's game, Town drove home two RBI, giving him the current edge with 25 RBI to Jensen's 23.
SINGING THE BLUES: The Fireflies have struggled in their navy jerseys this season, owning a 4-19 record when they don the blues through the first 65 games of the 2022 campaign.
NO-NO WARNING: Tuesday, the Fireflies were no-hit through 8.2 innings and two errors in the ninth that extended the frame before Omar Florentino was able to scratch across a single to right field. It's the second-longest no-hit bid that has happened this season. Myrtle Beach overhit Columbia May 1 for the second time in as many years. Things didn't get much better Wednesday as the Fireflies were held to just a pair of hits.
THE FOURTH WARNING SIGN: The Fireflies are struggling in the fourth inning of games across the 2022 season. After being outscored by the RiverDogs 5-0 Tuesday night, they are being outscored 70-22 in the fourth inning of games this season.
POSTING NEGATIVE SPLITS: The Fireflies have had trouble throughout this season, as they are 27 games behind the first-place Pelicans 64 games throughout the season. Columbia has gotten worse as the season has progressed though. In April, Columbia went 7-13, in May, the team went 7-19 and through the first 18 games of June, they are 4-14. Those are winning percentages of .368 in April, .269 in May and .222 in June.
WILY WILLIS: In his 37th appearance in the neon and navy, Marlin Willis earned his first win. He is now 1-2 in his career with the Fireflies across 60.2 innings of work. In his second season in the Soda City, the southpaw has a 4.07 ERA in 14 appearances, fanning 33 in 24.1 innings and holding opponents to a .189 average. Columbia's reliever has been on a tear since the end of April though. After recording an 8.53 ERA in the first month of the season, Willis continues to perform better as time passes. He went 0-1 with a 2.92 ERA in six games spanning 12.1 innings in May and is 1-0 in his first four games of June with a 1.59 ERA in 5.2 innings.
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Carolina League Stories from June 23, 2022
- Pelicans Clinch Carolina League South Division First Half Title with Extra Innings Win at Kannapolis - Myrtle Beach Pelicans
- First Half Concludes with Three-Homer Night for Woodpeckers - Fayetteville Woodpeckers
- Leon Walks off Fireflies; RiverDogs Fall Just Short of First Half Title - Charleston RiverDogs
- Cornielle Totals 11 Ks in 3-2 First Half Finale Loss - Carolina Mudcats
- 'Birds Swept in Twin Bill by Hillcats to End First Half - Delmarva Shorebirds
- Hillcats Clinch Spot in Postseason - Lynchburg Hillcats
- Fireflies Give up Three in the Ninth in Walk-Off Loss - Columbia Fireflies
- FredNats fall in Salem to come up just short in first half - Fredericksburg Nationals
- Pelicans Announce New Initiative in Conjunction with Conway Medical Center - Myrtle Beach Pelicans
- Columbia Fireflies Game Notes vs Charleston June 23 - Columbia Fireflies
- One Hit, One Win - Down East Wood Ducks
- Montgomery Reaches in 31st Consecutive Game in 5-3 Loss to Pelicans Wednesday - Kannapolis Cannon Ballers
- RiverDogs Crush Fireflies 11-0 - Charleston RiverDogs
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