Fireflies Take Series Over RiverDogs with 7-1 Win Thursday

CHARLESTON, SC (Fireflies) – Every Firefly hitter reached base safely in Thursday’s 7-1 win over the RiverDogs. Patrick Mazeika led the way with four hits. Columbia won two of three games from Charleston in the series.

The Fireflies jumped out to a quick 3-0 lead in the second inning. Joe Tuschak, Milton Ramos and Mazeika all knocked in runs.

Columbia (25-35, 61-69) then knocked out Charleston (28-32, 70-59) starter Luis Cedeno (L, 7-9) in the fourth. He allowed a one-out walk to Tuschak before he was pulled. In came Cody Carroll and Ramos welcomed him with a single up the middle. Two batters later, Mazeika scored Tuschak with a well-struck base hit back up the box.

Starter Joe Shaw (W, 8-9) cruised into the fifth inning. He allowed just one run over his 5.2 innings of work. In the bottom of the fifth, Hoy Jun Park doubled home Audie Afenir, Charleston’s lone run. Shaw improved to 3-0 against the RiverDogs.

The game was all but over when the Fireflies scored three more in the top of the ninth. The club batted around. Enmanuel Zabala got the party started with a single and Mazeika followed suit. Then the next two hitters – Eudor Garcia and Dash Winningham – both walked, bringing in a run. Dale Burdick eventually plated two more with a double to extend Columbia’s lead to 7-1. Burdick finished with three hits.

The Fireflies continue their road trip to Kannapolis, North Carolina, to face the Intimidators. That series begins at 7:05 p.m. on Friday night. The expected starters are Nabil Crismatt (1-1, 1.25) for Columbia and Alec Hansen (0-0, 0.00) for Kannapolis.

You can listen to the action on WGCV 620 AM and 96.3 FM, ColumbiaFireflies.com and the TuneIn Radio app at 7:00 p.m.