Fireflies Game Notes: July 12 vs. Charleston (Game 88)
July 12, 2019 - South Atlantic League (SAL1)
Columbia Fireflies News Release
Columbia Fireflies (11-10, 35-52) vs. Charleston RiverDogs (9-12, 46-45)
RHP Willy Taveras (5-7, 5.38) vs. RHP Roansy Contreras (6-5, 4.48)
Fri., July 12, 2019 - Segra Park (Columbia, SC) - First Pitch 7:05 p.m. - Game 88
LISTEN: FirefliesLiveStream.com / ColumbiaFireflies.com / TuneIn App
WATCH: MiLB.TV
LAST TIME OUT: Columbia defeated the GreenJackets on Thursday, 5-2, and won the series 2 games to one. The Fireflies used a big four-run third inning to propel past Augusta. Simeon Woods-Richardson took care of the rest on the mound. Columbia's starter allowed just two hits and one run over five innings & punched out 6. Walter Rasquin also blasted his 1st homer of the year.
STARTING PITCHING: The starting pitching was dominant this week against the GreenJackets. Christian James (6.2 IP on Tuesday), Tylor Megill (5 IP on Wednesday) and Woods-Richardson all logged five or more innings and each surrendered just one run. The starter's ERA in the series was 1.62.
WHAT'S AT STAKE?: The Fireflies aim for a third series win this month if it were to take at least take two out three from Charleston. Columbia has not won a series this year against the RiverDogs (0-for-4).
ROARING OFFENSE: Columbia has recorded 68 hits over its last seven games and is now hitting .279 as a team since the all-star break (21 GP). That's the highest second-half batting average in the SAL and by a wide margin:
1. Columbia, .279 ... 2. Kannapolis, .266 ... 3. Hickory, .259
Hayden Senger is also on a season best 10-game hit streak, too.
DID YOU SAY STREAK?: It seemed impressive enough when Fireflies catcher Hayden Senger tallied five straight multi-hit games from June 22-26. Now a second Firefly has done it. Shervyen Newton went 2-for-4 on Wednesday and also notched five straight multi-hit games (Newton did not play on Thursday). Newton is raking right now - he's hitting .545 (12-for-22) over those last five games with 3 2Bs, 1 HR and 6 RBI.
THE REDHAWK IS RED-HOT: Former Miami (OH) RedHawk Hayden Senger leads the SAL in hitting post all-star break with a .456 average. Senger is also tied for second in the league in doubles (9) since the start of the second half. Senger has hit safely in 17 of the 19 games he's played in in the second half and reached safely in 18. The catcher was batting .180 at the all-star break (40 GP) and his average now sits at .277 - that's an astonishing near-100 point raise of his average over just 19 games.
SECOND-HALF SLUGGERS: Columbia's offense has totally ignited in the second half. Here are the top hitters by batting average:
1. Hayden Senger - .456 (31-for-68), 19 GP, 7 R, 9 2B, 3 HR, 17 RBI, 4 BB, 6 K
2. Wagner Lagrange - .338 (26-for-77), 20 GP, 15 R, 7 2B, 1 3B, 2 HR, 16 RBI
3. Mark Vientos - .309 (21-for-68) 18 GP, 12 R, 7 2B, 2 HR, 17 RBI
South Atlantic League Stories from July 12, 2019
- Vientos' Inside-The-Park Homer Welcomes One Millionth Fan to Segra Park - Columbia Fireflies
- Four-Run Eighth Lifts West Virginia to Wild 9-7 Win - Charleston Dirty Birds
- 'Dads Silence 'Birds Bats in Opener - Delmarva Shorebirds
- RiverDogs Shake Extra Inning Skid to Steal Opener in Columbia - Charleston RiverDogs
- Pitching Leads Tourists to Impressive Win - Asheville Tourists
- Offense Stagnant in 3-1 Loss to Asheville - Augusta GreenJackets
- De La Cruz Homers, But Claws Fall 4-2 on Friday - Jersey Shore BlueClaws
- Lexington Puts Brakes on Drive with 5-4 Victory - Lexington Legends
- Marinconz Scores Three Times in Suns' 4-2 Win - Hagerstown Suns
- Fireflies Game Notes: July 12 vs. Charleston (Game 88) - Columbia Fireflies
- Game Notes (July 12) - Charleston Dirty Birds
- Hagerstown Suns: Game Notes - Hagerstown Suns
- Power to Host Chevy Youth Baseball Clinics Next Weekend - Charleston Dirty Birds
- Rome Walks Its Way to 3-1 Victory over Charleston - Rome Emperors
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