Fireflies smoke GreenJackets, 12-5

AUGUSTA, GA (WOLO) – The Fireflies smashed the Augusta GreenJackets Wednesday night, 12-5 as all 10 Columbia batters hit safely.

A pair of Fireflies tallied three hits (Dash Winningham, Arnaldo Berrios) and four recorded multi-hit games. The Fireflies have taken the first two game of the series against the GreenJackets and piled up 27 total hits in the process.

On Wednesday, Columbia (61-58) belted 16 hits. Most impressive, the club has whacked 10 or more hits in now three straight contests.

The avalanche started in the first inning when the Fireflies sent 10 hitters to the plate. First, Andres Gimenez singled and J.J. Franco followed with a walk. Gene Cone then bunted the runners into scoring position. The following three Fireflies stroked base hits. Winningham was first, and he drove in two runs. Behind him, it was Luis Carpio and Ian Strom. Strom’s hard grounder through the right side of the infield loaded the bases. Strom stretched his on-base streak to 16 games in the process.

With one mighty swing, Jay Jabs cleared the bases in the blink of an eye. The lefty tripled to the left-center field wall on the first pitch he saw from Melvin Adon (L, 3-11). Jabs scored moments later when Berrios roped a single. Adon was lifted shortly thereafter for reliever Connor Kaden. Kaden, ironically, retired the only batter he faced on one pitch to end the frame.

The six runs and six hits in the first inning were the most in a single inning this season for Columbia.

Colin Holderman (W, 2-3) was, evidently, given all the run support he needed. The right-hander allowed just three Augusta (45-71) runs over six innings. Holderman surrendered a score in the bottom of the first and then later in the fourth. In that frame, Jose Vizcaino plated Shawon Dunston Jr. with a sacrifice fly to center field.

Later on, Holderman gutted through the fifth. He issued a lead-off walk to Michael Bernal, then struck out Adam Sonabend. Paulino singled, pushing Bernal to third, and two hitters later Dunston ripped in a run with a base hit. Holderman retired Jean Angomas to finish the inning and then cruised through a scoreless sixth frame.

Columbia’s lead grew in the top of the sixth. Cone, in his third start since returning from the disabled list, slashed a double which drove in two. The visitors took an 8-3 lead.

Carlos Garcia’s two-run home run helped the home team cut into the deficit in the seventh, but it proved to be not enough later on. The Fireflies plated four more runs in the top of the eighth. Winningham scored another run with a single off of southpaw Caleb Smith. Winningham later scored on Jacob Zanon’s double. The inning was capped by Brandon Brosher’s two-run two-bagger moments later.

The offensive marathon took three hours and 38 minutes to complete – the longest nine-inning game Columbia has played in this season. Winningham and Berrios each tallied three hits (making Wednesday the third straight game a Columbia player has recorded three hits) and Winningham and Jabs each knocked in three. Six different Fireflies drove in at least one run.

On Thursday, the Fireflies go for their third sweep of Augusta this season. First pitch is scheduled for 7:05 p.m. at Lake Olmstead Stadium.

You can listen to the action on ESPN Columbia 94.9 FM and 1230 AM, ColumbiaFireflies.com and the TuneIn Radio app starting at 6:45 p.m.

The Fireflies contributed to the writing of this article.