Senger's 8th-Inning Double Clinches First Win of Season
April 6, 2019 - South Atlantic League (SAL1)
Columbia Fireflies News Release
COLUMBIA, SC - Columbia and Charleston played much of Saturday night's game tied. With the score knotted at two a piece in the bottom of the eighth, Hayden Senger (pictured / Photo: Tom Priddy) slashed a double that scored what proved to be the go-ahead run. The Fireflies picked up their first win of the season, defeating the RiverDogs, 3-2.
Walter Rasquin led off the eighth with a double of his own off of Charleston (2-1) reliever Jio Orozco (L, 0-1). After Mark Vientos was hit by a pitch, Senger blasted an 0-2 fastball into the left-center field gap. The hit gave Rasquin plenty of time to score.
Ezequiel Zabaleta (S, 1) closed out the ballgame with a scoreless top of the ninth. Senger's drive sunk the visitors, but it was Columbia's (1-2) pitching that kept the home team in it all night. After Charleston scored twice in the first frame, Jaison Vilera, Bryce Hutchinson (W, 1-0) and Zabaleta then combined to shut out the RiverDogs the remainder of the night and hold them to three hits.
Down 2-0 in the third, the Fireflies offense finally ignited. Jose Miguel Medina and Anthony Dirocie both worked one-out walks. Ronny Mauricio plated Medina with a single and moments later Rasquin scored Dirocie on a ground out to second base.
Vilera punched out five over five frames and Hutchinson - freshly added to the roster on Saturday - didn't allow a hit over three innings.
Senger and Mauricio each finished with a pair of hits. That's the second multi-hit game of the year for both just three games into the season.
Columbia aims for a series split with Charleston on Sunday afternoon. First pitch in the finale is slotted for 2:05 ET. Right-hander Christian James starts for the Fireflies.
South Atlantic League Stories from April 6, 2019
- Rome Unable to Hold Early Leads in 6-4 Defeat - Rome Emperors
- Power Holds off Drive 6-5 on Saturday - Greenville Drive
- Power Outlasts Greenville, 6-5, in Seesaw Affair - Charleston Dirty Birds
- 'Birds Falter in Extras for First Loss - Delmarva Shorebirds
- Legends Take Down Shorebirds in Walk-Off Fashion, 5-4 - Lexington Legends
- Augusta's Mistakes Open the Door for Asheville Win - Asheville Tourists
- Lara Launches Suns to First Win - Hagerstown Suns
- Senger's 8th-Inning Double Clinches First Win of Season - Columbia Fireflies
- Fireflies Stall RiverDogs' Hot Start as Wagaman Continues Tear - Charleston RiverDogs
- BlueClaws Fall to 0-3 with 9-1 Saturday Loss - Jersey Shore BlueClaws
- Fireflies Roster Move & Game Notes: April 6 vs. Charleston - Columbia Fireflies
- Game Notes (April 6) - Charleston Dirty Birds
- Hagerstown Suns Game Notes - Hagerstown Suns
- Kannapolis Defeats Rome 2-1 in Pitcher's Duel - Rome Emperors
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.
