Fireflies Game Notes: July 17 at West Virginia (Game 93)
July 17, 2019 - South Atlantic League (SAL1)
Columbia Fireflies News Release
Columbia Fireflies (13-13, 37-55) @ West Virginia Power (13-13, 50-46)
RHP Simeon Woods-Richardson (2-8, 4.63) vs. RHP Devin Sweet (4-4, 3.36)
Wed., July 17, 2019 - Appalachian Power Park (Charleston, WV) - First Pitch 12:05 p.m. - Game 93
LISTEN: FirefliesLiveStream.com / ColumbiaFireflies.com / TuneIn App
WATCH: MiLB.TV
LAST TIME OUT: Even despite tallying 12 hits on Tuesday, the Fireflies were overwhelmed by the Power's offensive attack and lost, 11-6. Seven of the nine Columbia hitters all notched at least one hit at Appalachian Power Park, including Shervyen Newton who bashed his fifth home run of the season. Outfielder Wagner Lagrange also finished 3-for-5 at the plate in the loss.
F=m(a): Shervyen Newton struck again on Tuesday in Charleston. The infielder went 2-for-4 with a three-run homer to right. Eight of the last 10 games for the 20-year-old Mets prospect have been multi-hit games.
F=m(a), Pt. II: Over his last 10 games, Newton is hitting .450 (18-for-40) with three doubles, three homers and 10 RBI.
WHAT'S AT STAKE: Columbia enters play on Wednesday tied for second in the second half Southern Division standings, trailing Rome by just one game. The Fireflies must win on Wednesday to avoid being swept for the first time since the final series of the first half (0-4 vs. Lexington, June 13-16).
ALL THE STRIKEOUTS: Despite the loss to West Virginia on Tuesday, Columbia punched out 10 more Power batters. That's now 72 strikeouts for the Fireflies over their last seven games.
SENGER'S SUCCESS: Fireflies catcher Hayden Senger had his 11-game hit streak snapped on Monday in West Virginia. He's still reached base safely in 20 of the 22 second-half games he's played in. Senger has dominated since the all-star break. His .410 second-half batting average is best in the South Atlantic League. The catcher was batting .180 at the all-star break (40 GP) and his average now sits at .269 - that's an astonishing near-100 point raise of his average over just 22 games.
ROAD WARRIER: Wagner Lagrange tallied three more hits on Tuesday night in Charleston. Lagrange is Columbia's best hitter in road games. The outfielder owns a .328 average and has driven in 18 runs in 35 road games this year. He's the only Firefly hitting above .300 away from home in 2019.
THE OTHER GUYS: 2019 is West Virginia's first season as a Seattle Mariners affiliate. The only Mariners prospect on the roster is 18-year-old outfielder Julio Rodriguez (No. 6-rated). However, there is one former South Carolina Gamecock who finds himself with West Virginia: pitcher Reid Morgan. The Friday night starter for USC this past spring picked up the win over Columbia in Tuesday night's game.
South Atlantic League Stories from July 17, 2019
- Crawdads Comeback to Complete Sweep - Hickory Crawdads
- RiverDogs Offense Shows up Too Late in Road Finale - Charleston RiverDogs
- 'Birds Fall Quietly to 'Claws in Six - Delmarva Shorebirds
- Salvatore's Walk-Off Sacrifice Fly Secures Sweep - Charleston Dirty Birds
- Pitching Falters in 11-1 Loss to 'Hoppers - Hagerstown Suns
- Vientos and Newton Both Go Yard in Finale in West Virginia - Columbia Fireflies
- Tourists Top Drive, 4-0, on Wednesday - Greenville Drive
- Schmidt Hurls Complete Game, Two-Hit Shutout - Asheville Tourists
- Homestand Preview #9: July 18-21 - Hagerstown Suns
- Hagerstown Suns: Game Notes - Hagerstown Suns
- World's Largest Moon Landing Punctuates RiverDogs' Upcoming Homestand - Charleston RiverDogs
- Fireflies Game Notes: July 17 at West Virginia (Game 93) - Columbia Fireflies
- Game Notes (July 17) - Charleston Dirty Birds
- Lexington Evens Series with 6-4 Win in Extras - Rome Emperors
- Bill on Baseball: Mangieri Makes Presence Felt with Two HRs - Greensboro Grasshoppers
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