Columbia Fireflies: Game Notes
April 10, 2022 - Carolina League (CarL)
Columbia Fireflies News Release
The Fireflies close out their series with the Augusta GreenJackets today at 5:05 pm. RHP Eric Cerantola (0-0, 0.00 ERA) gets the ball for Columbia, meanwhile Augusta will counter with southpaw Adam Shoemaker (0-0, 0.00 ERA).
Today is Sunday Funday sponsored by Winthrop University at the ballpark, from 4:00-4:15 pm, there will be a player autograph session at the ballpark. Following the game, kids can run the bases. Tickets are still available at FirefliesTickets.com.
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FIREFLIES ROUGHED UP BY GREENJACKETS SATURDAY: The Fireflies bullpen surrendered 12 runs from the sixth to the eighth inning as they fell to the Augusta GreenJackets 17-6 Saturday night at Segra Park.The Fireflies (1-1) were able to claw back within striking distance in the fourth inning. After trailing 5-0, Carter Jensen and Guillermo Candelario were able to score following a pair of AJ Smith-Shawver wild pitches and a Darryl Collins double. After that, it was all GreenJackets (1-1) until the ninth inning. Augusta scored four runs against Delvin Capellan in the sixth, four runs off Marlin Willis in the seventh and six runs off Willis and Connolly in the eighth. The run was punctuated by a pair of Cal Conley homers in the three inning stretch.
LATE INNING MAGIC: The Fireflies have trailed both of their games through the sixth innings. In fact, the only time Columbia has led this season was when Erick Peña hit his walk-off three-run homer. What the Fireflies have done well is attack Augusta's bullpen. Columbia has scored seven of its 12 runs in the seventh inning or later. Six of those seven runs have come in the ninth inning. Pena has four RBI in those innings off three hits (a single in the seventh, his homer in the ninth and a single in the ninth last night).
OH CANADA...: Today, the Columbia Fireflies and Augusta GreenJackets are both throwing a Canadian-born starting pitcher. Columbia is working Eric Cerantola, who grew up in Montreal, Quebec about 600 kilometers East of Cambridge, Ontario, where Adam Shoemaker started playing baseball. If that weren't enough, both played for the Great Lake Canadians in Ontario. Cerantola was on the team in 2018 and Shoemaker played in the 2020 season for the travel ball club.
STARTING WOES: The Fireflies have not gotten off to a strong start in their first two games this year. Augusta has outscored Columbia 8-0 in the first three innings of the first two games. Yesterday, the Fireflies opened up their scoring three runs in the fourth. It was the fifth inning where the Fireflies got on the board Friday. Augusta's two starters have combined for 16 strikeouts through 8.1 innings.
FOUR TOP 30 PROSPECTS HIGHLIGHT GROUP: The Fireflies will see some of the best players in the Kansas City Royals' system as four of the top 30 prospects, according to MLB.com, will start the season at Segra Park. Ben Hernandez and Collins were with the Fireflies in 2021 and Jensen was selected in the third round of last year's draft.
FORMER BIG LEAGUER LEADS THE CHARGE: This year, the Columbia Fireflies will be led by Manager Tony Peña Jr. Peña Jr. was the Kansas City Royals bench coach in 2021, and has been a member of the Royals' coaching staff since 2020. Peña Jr. spent parts of four seasons in the bigs, three of which were with Kansas City. The shortstop held a .228 average across 327 career games.
SUNDAY FUNDAY: Today is the first Sunday Funday of the year at Segra Park. There will be an autograph session before the game and kids can run the bases following the contest. The autograph session will take place from 4:00-4:15, right as the gates to Segra Park open.
Carolina League Stories from April 10, 2022
- Cal Conley Paces GreenJackets with Two Homeruns - Augusta GreenJackets
- Pelicans Hang on for First Win against RiverDogs in Series Finale - Myrtle Beach Pelicans
- Columbia's Rally Halted in 8-3 Loss - Columbia Fireflies
- FredNats Arms Fires Shutout in Delmarva Clincher - Fredericksburg Nationals
- Mudcats Finish Sweep with 11-9 Finale Victory - Carolina Mudcats
- 'Birds Shutout by FredNats in Series Finale - Delmarva Shorebirds
- Columbia Fireflies: Game Notes - Columbia Fireflies
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