Top Storylines
- Connor Rasmussen lifts a walk-off sacrifice fly to centerfield to win game one of the doubleheader. It was Columbia’s third walk-off win of the season and their first since July 11.
- Michael Braswell earns the victory in his first appearance in Columbia.
- Fireflies split doubleheader and have won three of their first four games against the Pelicans this week
COLUMBIA, S.C. — The Fireflies split a doubleheader with the Myrtle Beach Pelicans thanks to a Connor Rasmussen walk-off sacrifice fly Friday night at Segra Park. The Fireflies won game one of the twin bill 6-5 before falling 14-3 in game two.
The walk-off win was Columbia’s third of the 2026 season and the first since Angel Ramirez hit a walk-off single July 11 vs Salem.
Play-by-Play
Game One
The Fireflies won game one 6-5 in walk-off fashion courtesy of a sacrifice fly from Connor Rasmussen Friday night at Segra Park.
After Sam Mettert walked the bases loaded in the bottom of the seventh, Connor Rasmussen lifted a sacrifice fly to left field to score Sean Gamble to win the game 6-5 for the Columbia Fireflies. It was the Fireflies third walk-off win of the season and their first since Angel Ramirez hit a walk-off single July 11 vs the Salem Red Sox.
Michael Braswell (W, 1-0) pitched a 1-2-3 seventh inning to earn the win in his return to Columbia. He piggybacked off Adrian Belen, who worked 2.1 scoreless innings in his first home appearance to keep Columbia in a close contest.
Columbia tied the game with some help in the bottom of the fifth. Yandel Ricardo singled to start the rally before Jhosmmel Zue and JC Vanek were hit by pitches to load the bases and Connor Rasmussen pushed Ricardo home with a bases loaded walk to make it a 5-5 game.
The Fireflies jumped on the scoreboard first in the home half of the first inning. Henry Ramos slapped a lead-off single down the third baseline and moved to third thanks to a Yandel Ricardo single. With one out and runners on the corners, Sean Gamble placed a sacrifice bunt down the first baseline to plate Ramos and break the scoreless tie.
The bats weren’t done there. After JC Vanek and Connor Rasmussen drew back-to-back walks to start the second, Roni Cabrera bounced an infield single to score Vanek to double Columbia’s lead to 2-0. After that, Henry Ramos line a sacrifice fly to center to score Rasmussen and Camden Johnson flipped a single to center to plate Cabrera to make it 4-0 Columbia. During the second inning, the Fireflies stole five bases on the battery of Daniel Avitia and Jhoander Irigoyen.
Myrtle Beach was able to climb back into the game in the top of the third inning. The Pelicans sent eight batters to the dish to score three runs. Jose Silva got the scoring started with an RBI triple to plate Derniche Valdez and Jhoander Irigoyen palted the final run with an RBI double that brought Jan Luis Reyes around to cut Columbia’s lead to 4-3 prior to the end of the frame.
The Pelicans added another pair in the fourth inning to overcome their 4-0 deficit and take a 5-4 lead. Derik Alcantara and Jose Silva set the table with a single and a walk. Later, Alexis Hernandez walked to load the bases with a pair of outs before Ethan Conrad slashed a two-run single to right field.
All five of the runs were charged to starter Ryan McDonagh who worked 3.2 innings. The righty allowed four hits and three walks and five earned runs came around to score on him before he passed the ball to reliever Adrian Belen.
Game Two
Columbia dropped game two of the doubleheader 14-3. The bullpen allowed nine runs over the final three innings of the contest, thanks in part to six walks over the three frames.
Myrtle Beach hopped on the board in a big way in the first inning of game two. Caden Sorrell lined his first professional homer to right field to break the scoreless tie at the start of the game. Later, Eli Lovich notched a two-out single and Derniche Valdez skied his eighth homer of the season to left to push the Pelicans to a 3-0 lead. Prior to this game, Coleman Picard had only surrendered one homer in his first seven starts of the season prior to tonight.
The Pelicans got another homer in the fourth inning. Ivan Cespedes launched his third homer of the season to left to score Fernando Cruz to push the Pelicans lead to 5-1.
Picard allowed five runs over four innings. The righty surrendered four hits, three of which were homers and struck out four batters before transferring the ball to the Fireflies bullpen. Moises Amezquita allowed three runs in 1.2 innings, Brandon Herbold surrendered five runs in 0.2 innings and Randy Ramnarace mopped up the final two outs while giving up one run.
Columbia got on the board in the bottom of the first inning. Henry Ramos drew a lead-off walk and came around on a one out single off the bat of Roni Cabrera to cut the Pelicans lead to 3-1 before the second inning.
On-Deck
Columbia continues their series with the Myrtle Beach Pelicans tomorrow night at Segra Park at 6:05 pm. RHP Jose Gutierrez (8-4, 3.94 ERA) takes the bump for Columbia and Myrtle Beach counters with RHP Riely Hunsaker (3-3, 5.08 ERA).
Tomorrow is Bluey at the Ballpark Night presented by Cassell Brothers Home Services. Fans can meet Bluey and Bingo during the game and the club will have a post-game fireworks show. Tickets are available starting at just $6 at FirefliesTickets.com.