“Tebow Time” Ends in Columbia

COLUMBIA, SC (WOLO) – An announced crowd of over 8300 fans filed into Spirit Communications Park on Sunday to say goodbye to the most famous Firefly in the young franchise’s history.

Hours before the 5:05 p.m. first pitch, the team announced that 2007 Heisman Trophy winner Tim Tebow was moving on to the next step of his professional baseball career. His 64th game with Columbia, the New York Mets’ Class A club, would be his last.

The Mets promoted Tebow to their A-Advanced affiliate, the St. Lucie Mets, despite the left fielder and occasional designated hitter posting a .222 batting average entering Sunday’s series finale with the Intimidators.

Hitting seventh and playing left in his last appearance in Columbia colors, Tim went 0-for-2 with a walk as the Fireflies failed to build on a first inning advantage, falling to Kannapolis 2-1.

Dash Winningham has the team’s only RBI, driving in Andres Gimenez in the 1st inning on a single. Kannapolis responded late with a two-run effort in the top of the seventh, getting four hits off of reliever Cam Griffin (0-2) to take the lead for good. Columbia lost three of four to the Intimidators in their first series back from the SAL All-Star Break.

Tebow took a flight directly to South Florida after the game to meet with his new team. The St. Lucie Mets are off on Monday and will resume play Tuesday in the Florida State League South division. According to a press release, Tebow is slated to play with his new club in the lineup that night against the Palm Beach Cardinals at 6:30 p.m.

Tim finishes his Fireflies career with a .220 batting average, three home runs, 23 RBI’s, 29 runs, 14 doubles, and a team-high 69 strikeouts.