Fireflies Force Winner-Take-All Game 3 with 15-10 Win
Published on September 16, 2025 under Carolina League (CarL)
Columbia Fireflies News Release
Henry Ramos at bat for the Columbia Fireflies
(Columbia Fireflies)
COLUMBIA, S.C. - The Columbia Fireflies bats rallied to score 13 runs across the sixth and seventh innings to beat The Lynchburg Hillcats 15-10 Tuesday night at Segra Park. The win forced a winner-take-all Game Three at Segra Park tomorrow night at 7:05 pm. A win tomorrow would win Columbia their first baseball championship since The Capital City Bombers won the South Atlantic League in 1998.
The tide shifted in the fifth inning. After a groundout to start the frame, Tyriq Kemp and Asbel Gonzalez were hit by pitches. After that, Luke Nowak singled to load the bases. Next, Ramon Ramirez punched a single to right to score a pair and tie the game 3-3. After a pitching change, four more Fireflies reached consecutively as six runs crossed the plate to give Columbia a 7-3 lead.
Lynchburg countered with a two-run homer off the bat of pinch hitter Nolan Schubart in the top of the sixth to make it a two-run game. The inning ended with a Yimi Presinal strikeout of Dauri Fernandez before the benches cleared and Presinal was ejected.
Then when Columbia came to the plate in the sixth, the first five batters drew walks and then Henry Ramos cleared the bases with a triple to give Columbia an 11-5 lead. Later, Hyungchan Um lifted a sacrifice fly to right to score Ramos and make it 13-5 to clear the bases. With two outs, Yandel Ricardo smashed his first homer of the season to make it 14-5 before the end of the frame.
Luke Nowak got the Fireflies on the board in the first inning. With a pair of outs, Nowak turned on a 3-1 pitch and sent it 346 feet beyond the right field fence. The ball travelled 101.5 MPH before it reached the lawn to give Columbia a 1-0 lead.
The Hillcats knotted it back up in the fourth. Dean Curley started the frame with a double and came in off a broken bat single to left from Luis Marejo to make the score 1-1.
Lynchburg kept their rally rolling in the fifth inning. Logun Clark lined a one out double to set the table for Dauri Fernandez. The second baseman launched a homer to left field to give The Hillcats their first lead of the game, 3-1.
David Shields (W, 2-0) got the nod for Columbia and worked five innings while allowing three runs. Next, Presinal allowed a pair of runs in the sixth before Darwin Rodriguez and Fraynel Nova closed out the game.
The Carolina League Championship Series concludes tomorrow night at Segra Park at 7:05 pm in a winner-take-all contest between Columbia and Lynchburg. RHP Kendry Chourio (1-0, 1.80 ERA) takes the ball for Columbia and Lynchburg counters with RHP Melkis Hernandez (0-0, 2.25 ERA). All tickets in Segra Park are $5 and are available at FirefliesTickets.com.
Images from this story
 Henry Ramos at bat for the Columbia Fireflies |
Carolina League Stories from September 16, 2025
- Fireflies Force Winner-Take-All Game 3 with 15-10 Win - Columbia Fireflies
- Hillcats Implode; Fireflies Force Game Three - Lynchburg Hillcats
- Jostin Florentino Announced as a 2025 Carolina League All-Star - Myrtle Beach Pelicans
- Mudcats Well Represented on Carolina League Postseason All-Star Team - Carolina Mudcats
- Smith, Two Players, Honored by Minor League Baseball in Season Awards - Lynchburg Hillcats
- Shields Named Carolina League Pitcher of the Year - Columbia Fireflies
- Caleb Bonemer Named 2025 Carolina League MVP, All-Star - Kannapolis Cannon Ballers
- Minor League Baseball Announces Single-A All-Star Teams and Award Winners - CarL
- Columbia Fireflies Game Notes vs Lynchburg 9.16 - Columbia Fireflies
The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.
