Fireflies Game Notes: June 27 vs. Hickory (Game 74)
June 27, 2019 - South Atlantic League (SAL1)
Columbia Fireflies News Release
Columbia Fireflies (4-3, 28-45) vs. Hickory Crawdads (6-1, 47-26)
RHP Christian James (2-5, 4.64) vs. RHP Tim Brennan (6-2, 3.74)
Thurs., June 27, 2019 - Segra Park (Columbia, SC) - First Pitch 7:05 p.m. - Game 74
LISTEN: FirefliesLiveStream.com / ColumbiaFireflies.com / TuneIn App
WATCH: MiLB.TV
LAST TIME OUT: The Fireflies scored a late eighth-inning run on Wednesday in Lexington that propelled the visitors to a 2-1 series-clinching win. Gerson Molina doubled and later scored on a wild pitch in the penultimate inning of the game. On the mound, Jose Butto was marvelous. The right-hander heaved six more impressive innings and allowed just one run (Butto has a 2.51 ERA over his last five starts).
SENGER SURGE: Catcher Hayden Senger has been in another stratosphere at the plate. The Cincinnati native has hit safely in all six games he's played in since the all-star break and has posted an astronomical .565 average (13-for-23) in the second half. He has five doubles, two homers and eight RBI since the break, as well. It's the second-best average in the league in the second half behind Hickory's Matt Whatley (.571).
SENGER SURGE, Pt. II: Senger has also tallied five straight multi-hit games (in five straight days, no less). He's the first Firefly this season to do that.
WHAT A START: Columbia won its first series since beating Rome twice from June 3-5 (final game of the series was cancelled due to rain). The Fireflies finished the road trip with a 4-3 mark.
WHAT A START, Pt. II: The Fireflies offense is roaring. Columbia is hitting .296 in its first seven games of the second half with an average of more than six runs (6.1) and 11 hits per game. The Fireflies crushed 22 extra-base hits (18 doubles, four homers) during the road trip.
THE LEAGUE'S BEST: Hickory (.308) and Columbia (.296) have the two best team batting averages in the second half.
RESPECT: With a base hit on Tuesday night, Chandler Avant has now reached base safely in a team-best 15 straight games (that's also the fourth-longest active streak in the SAL). The former Alabama Crimson Tide infielder has made major strides at the plate this year after hitting just .105 in 11 April games. Since May 16 (25 GP), Avant leads the team with a .370 on-base percentage. His batting average is also .292 during that span.
MAURICIO MAGIC: Ronny Mauricio leads Columbia in hitting (.284 average). The SAL All-Star is fifth in the league with 78 hits, but he is the only teenager who appears in the top 10 (and that's qualified hitters, too). The Mets prospect has performed notably well at the plate over the last month:
SINCE MAY 28
Mauricio (120 GP) - .311 (28-for-90), 7 2B, 1 3B, 1 HR, 6 RBI, 2 BB, 20 K
South Atlantic League Stories from June 27, 2019
- Anchia Launches Walk-Off Homer in 4-3 Victory - Charleston Dirty Birds
- Speedy Encarnacion Paces Fifth Straight 'Birds Win - Delmarva Shorebirds
- Nine-Run 3rd Inning Helps Jackets Win 4th Straight - Augusta GreenJackets
- Claws Score Five in Ninth But Fall 9-8 to Greensboro - Jersey Shore BlueClaws
- Rome Edges Drive, 4-3, on Thursday - Greenville Drive
- Big 5th Inning Dooms Dogs in Series Opener - Charleston RiverDogs
- Suns Fall Short to 'Birds in Extras - Hagerstown Suns
- Shorthanded Tourists Come Together for Big Win - Asheville Tourists
- James Dazzles in Thursday Night Pitchers' Duel - Columbia Fireflies
- Fireflies Game Notes: June 27 vs. Hickory (Game 74) - Columbia Fireflies
- Hagerstown Suns: Game Notes - Hagerstown Suns
- Game Notes (June 27) - Charleston Dirty Birds
- Shorebirds to Extend Protective Netting at Arthur W. Perdue Stadium - Delmarva Shorebirds
- Bill on Baseball: Macias, Martin Power Hoppers' Win - Greensboro Grasshoppers
- Butto Deals, Fireflies Win Series in Lexington - Columbia Fireflies
- Charleston Takes Series from Rome with 3-1 Win - Rome Emperors
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