Fireflies Fall to Hagerstown, 4-2
HAGERSTOWN, MD (Fireflies) – Columbia’s centerfielder approached every at-bat with a purpose on Wednesday night in Hagerstown. Enmanuel Zabala smashed three nearly identical line-drive singles up the middle in the series opener against the Suns, but the Fireflies fell a couple runs short, losing 4-2. It was Zabala’s first three-hit game of the season.
Hagerstown (17-9, 60-36) opened with a pair of runs in the bottom of the first. Starter Joe Shaw (L, 4-7) would have most likely escaped the first unscathed, but an error enabled both unearned runs to come home. Ian Sagdal started with a double. The next batter Kelvin Gutierrez struck out swinging, but the third strike was dropped by the catcher Brandon Brosher. He picked up the baseball with plenty of time to throw to first but the toss wasn’t fielded cleanly at the bag and Sagdal ended up scoring when the baseball bounced up the first-base line. Gutierrez – who ended up at third base after the mishap – scored on Matt Page’s single.
Telmito Augustin doubled in the Suns third run in the second frame. It was one of four two-baggers for Hagerstown on Wednesday. The home team went up 4-0 in the fourth when Sagdal knocked in his 41st run of the season.
Columbia (6-19, 42-53) started chipping away at the deficit in the fifth. The Fireflies plated their lone run off of Taylor Guilbeau (W, 2-1) and it was thanks to Zabala. He laced his first single back up the box and moved to second base when J.C. Rodriguez walked. Two batters later, Vicente Lupo charged a base hit into the outfield that scored Zabala.
Then the visitors crept back in the seventh. Zabala set the table with another laser and used his wheels to wreak havoc later. He stole second base and thanks to an errant throw from Suns catcher Jakson Reetz that soared into centerfield, Zabala whizzed to third base. Tucker Tharp’s sacrifice fly to deep centerfield did plenty to get the run home. Columbia trailed 4-2 heading to the eighth.
The Fireflies relief staff on Wednesday – Gabriel Feliz (making his Columbia debut), Witt Haggard and Nicco Blank – all hurled scoreless innings. The trio struck out five batters.
Columbia searches for its first win against Hagerstown on Thursday night at 7:05 p.m. right back at Municipal Stadium. Right-hander Chase Ingram (4-9, 5.55) and Suns righty Jefry Rodriguez (7-5, 4.15) duke it out on the mound.
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 7:00 p.m.
