Back-to-Back 10 Run Games for Columbia

HICKORY, NC - The Fireflies pounded the Crawdads on Wednesday night, 10-1, hitting the 10-run mark for the second straight night. Columbia took two of three games from Hickory, using the offensive surge to soar to victory.

Only three players plated the 10 runs, though. Patrick Mazeika and Jeff Diehl each drove in four and David Thompson knocked in two. Mazeika drilled a grand slam in the seventh and Diehl followed with a three-run blast in the ninth. Diehl now has a team-leading eight dingers.

Oddly enough, Wednesday's game was tied 1-1 through the first six innings. Chase Ingram surrendered just one first-inning score over his five frames of work. The breaking ball was working for the Floridian once again, Ingram tied his career high with eight strikeouts.

Columbia (2-5, 38-39) came back and tied the ballgame up in the third. J.C. Rodriguez tripled and scored after Thompson's sacrifice fly. Thompson drove in seven runs in the last two games of the series.

Adam Choplick (L, 2-1) replaced Hickory (2-5, 40-37) starter Matt Ball on the mound in the sixth. The Fireflies used a patient approach at the plate to shake the lefty's confidence in the seventh. The visitors drew two walks off of Choplick and Thompson then plated a run with a single. Choplick was lifted for right-hander John Werner. The first batter he faced - Diehl - drilled a base hit that drove in Kevin Kaczmarski. The bases were left loaded for Mazeika and with one swing he helped Columbia climb to a 7-1 advantage.

Diehl's three-run homer padded the lead in the ninth. In ten combined plate appearances, Hickory hurlers retired Mazeika and Diehl just once on Wednesday.

Witt Haggard (W, 1-3) pitched exceptionally out of the bullpen. His three-inning shutout performance was the longest of his season. The righty hasn't allowed an earned run in seven straight appearances.

The Fireflies start a four-game series with the West Virginia Power at Appalachian Power Park on Thursday at 7:05 p.m. Southpaw Kevin Canelon (4-5, 3.20) faces righty Bret Helton (3-5, 3.95).

You can listen to the action on WGCV 620 AM, 105.1 and 96.3 FM, ColumbiaFireflies.com and the TuneIn Radio app starting at 7:00 p.m.