Fireflies Split Doubleheader In Greensboro
GREENSBORO, N.C. (Fireflies) — After a 5-2 loss in game one of its doubleheader, Columbia bounced back to defeat Greensboro, 2-1, in the nightcap at NewBridge Bank Ballpark. The Fireflies won the series, taking two of three games from the Grasshoppers.
Columbia (15-13) starter Kevin Canelon (W, 2-1) dominated the home team in the second game. The left-hander tossed five shutout innings of one-hit baseball and struck out seven – tying a season-high. Two runs for the Fireflies in the third inning were all that was needed. Vicente Lupo and J.C. Rodriguez began the inning with back-to-back walks and Vinny Siena’s sacrifice bunt moved the runners into scoring position. David Thompson then bounced Cody Poteet’s (L, 1-3) pitch to Greensboro (9-19) shortstop, Anfernee Seymour. He misplayed it and Lupo came in to score. Dash Winningham’s sacrifice fly then plated Siena from third base.
Alex Palsha (S, 2) allowed a Grasshoopers run in the sixth, but shut the door in the seventh to close out the victory.
The Fireflies scored first in game one as well. It was Thompson again to drive in the first run in the first frame. The former Miami Hurricane has 33 RBIs in 28 games.
The lead evaporated quickly, though. The home team plated two runs off of Thomas McIlraith (L, 1-2) in the bottom half of the frame to go up 2-1. Tyler Moore’s sacrifice fly in the top of second scored Ivan Wilson and knotted the game back up at 2-2.
After three scoreless innings, Greensboro re-took the lead in the bottom of the sixth inning, scoring three runs. Columbia couldn’t overcome the 5-2 deficit in the seventh. Reliever Ben Holmes (W, 3-0) tossed four shutout innings to close out the game.
The Fireflies head to Greenville, South Carolina, to begin a four-game series with the Drive (Boston Red Sox) on Saturday night at 7:05 p.m. Manager Jose Leger calls on righty Tyler Badamo (1-2, 4.74) to face Greenville lefty Logan Boyd (3-1, 3.91).
You can listen to the action on WGCV 620 AM, 105.1 and 96.3 FM, ColumbiaFireflies.com and the TuneIn Radio app starting at 6:45 p.m.
