COLUMBIA, S.C. — The Fireflies bats fell flat in a 14-5 loss to the Salem RidgeYaks as Brookland-Cayce graduate Skylar King hit a cycle for the visiting team Tuesday night at Segra Park.
Skylar King got the RidgeYaks on the board before the first out of the game was recorded. The centerfielder scorched his 10th homer of the season over the right field wall to break the scoreless tie. It was the Columbia-native's first hit in Segra Park’s first cycle. He homered in the first, tripled in the second, doubled in the fifth and singled in the eighth to accomplish the feat.
Salem added more pop in the second. After a Starlyn Nunez lead-off single, Adonys Guzman pulverized a 417’ homer to push the RidgeYaks advantage to 3-0 after the second inning. In the third inning, Kleyver Salazar hit a one-out single and advanced to second on a balk from Ryan McDonagh. Later, Nunez smacked a single to right that plated Salazar to increase the advantage to 4-0.
Salem would eventually lead 6-0 before Columbia got on the board. In the bottom of the fourth, Jhosmmel Zue drew a walk and Connor Rasmussen was hit by a pitch with one out. The two attempted a double steal and catcher Franklin Primera threw the ball errantly into left field to place Rasmussen at third and allow Zue to score the first run of the game. Later in the inning, Ivan Sosa lifted a sacrifice fly to center to plate Rasmussen to cut the RidgeYaks lead to 6-2.
After Salem scored another pair off a King double in the top of the fifth, the Fireflies rallied a second time in the home half. With two outs, Stone Russell drew a walk and Henry Ramos smacked a double down the left field line to set the table for Jhosmmel Zue. Zue golfed a three-run homer to push Columbia within three heading into the sixth frame.
The back breaker came in the eighth as Salem sent 10 batters to the plate and scored six additional runs to push ahead 14-5.
Ryan McDonagh (L, 1-2) was on the hook for the loss after allowing four earned runs in three innings. After that, Brandon Herbold, Luis Valdez, Henson Leal and Randy Ramnarace combined to allow nine runs over the final six innings.
The Fireflies continue their series with the Salem RidgeYaks tomorrow night at Segra Park at 7:05 pm. RHP Shane Van Dam (2-5, 5.34 ERA) toes the rubber for Columbia and Salem counters with RHP Cole Tolbert (1-1, 2.66 ERA).
Tomorrow night is a CVETS Dog Days of Summer at Segra Park. With your purchase of a lawn ticket your pup can join you at the ballpark for free. Once inside the gates, fans can also enjoy $5 cans of 16 oz White Claw Seltzers. Buy your tickets now at FirefliesTickets.com.