Fireflies Game Notes - April 12 at Lexington (Game 8)
April 12, 2019 - South Atlantic League (SAL1)
Columbia Fireflies News Release
Columbia Fireflies (3-4) @ Lexington Legends (4-3)
LHP Thomas Szapucki (0-0, 0.00) vs. LHP Kris Bubic (0-0, 7.20)
Fri. - Whitaker Bank Ballpark (Lexington, KY) - First Pitch 7:05 p.m. - Game 8
LISTEN: FirefliesLiveStream.com / ColumbiaFireflies.com / TuneIn App WATCH: MiLB.TV
LAST TIME OUT: After spending seven and a half hours bussing to Lexington on Thursday morning and afternoon, the Fireflies lost the series opener to the Legends, 14-3. Brian Sharp slashed his first home run of the season and Anthony Dirocie reached base three times, including a double.
THAT'S A FIRST: It took seven games, but Sharp delivered Columbia's first long ball of the 2019 season. If that's somewhat surprising, it also took Columbia seven games to face a left-hander on the mound. Marcelo Martinez was the first lefty pitcher the Fireflies saw this season when he entered the game in the sixth inning on Thursday.
MAURICIO ON THE RISE: After going hitless on opening night, Columbia's top-rated Mets prospect (No. 3 in the system) Ronny Mauricio is on a five-game hit streak that includes three multi-hit games. The 18-year-old singled in Wednesday's win over Rome and is hitting .333 through six games.
STREAKIN': Mark Vientos has reached safely in all 6 games to start the year.
FOLLOW THE LAW: Senior baseball writer at ESPN, Keith Law, ranked Columbia's roster as the 7th-most "Loaded Roster" in all of Minor League Baseball. Law recognized the fact Columbia's roster includes the Mets' past two second-round draft choices (Simeon Woods-Richardson, Mark Vientos), the system's third-rated prospect (Ronny Mauricio), according to Baseball America, and left-hander Thomas Szapucki (drafted in the fifth round in 2015) who's returned after missing all of last season following Tommy John surgery. YOUTHFUL ENERGY: Columbia's 2019 roster features three teenagers: SS Ronny Mauricio (18), RHP Simeon Woods-Richardson (18) and 3B Mark Vientos (19). All are considered top-10 rated Mets prospects. The Fireflies roster currently includes 10 players aged 21 or younger. Columbia's opening day roster was the youngest (average age 21.6) ever. Take a look below for more information on the prospects in Columbia in 2019.
NEW STAFF: Fireflies second-year manager Pedro Lopez notwithstanding, Columbia has an entirely different coaching staff in 2019. Former big leaguer and Mets pitcher Royce Ring assumes the role as pitching coach and former Eastern League champion Luis Rivera is the new hitting coach. One-time Mets farmhand (and former player for Lopez in Binghamton in 2014) Gilbert Gomez is the team's first-ever bench coach. Daichi Arima (athletic trainer), Sam Nickelsen (strength and conditioning coach), Nicole Collins (assistant athletic trainer) and Dave Williams (mental skills coach) complete the Fireflies coaching staff in 2019.
South Atlantic League Stories from April 12, 2019
- Breaux's First Home Run Propels Charleston to First Home Win - Charleston RiverDogs
- Five-Run Fourth Propels Rome Past Drive on Friday - Greenville Drive
- Bubic Fans Career High 12 in 8-4 Legends Victory - Lexington Legends
- Crawdads Hit Three Homers in Loss - Hickory Crawdads
- G-Rod Fans Ten, 'Birds Win Fourth Straight - Delmarva Shorebirds
- Vientos Crushes 436-Foot Home Run on Friday Night - Columbia Fireflies
- Rodriguez Sharp but Claws Rally Falls Short; Birds Win 5-3 on Friday - Jersey Shore BlueClaws
- Fireflies Game Notes - April 12 at Lexington (Game 8) - Columbia Fireflies
- Hagerstown Suns Game Postponed - Hagerstown Suns
- Game Notes (April 12) - Charleston Dirty Birds
- Avila Gets Call to the Show - Hagerstown Suns
- Hagerstown Suns Game Notes - Hagerstown Suns
- Rome Defeats Greenville 4-3 in Home Opener Walkoff - Rome Emperors
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