Greenville Clubs Columbia, 16-5, in Offensive Onslaught

GREENVILLE, S.C. - The Greenville Drive plated nine runs across the fourth and fifth innings en route to a 16-5 victory over the Columbia Fireflies on Sunday afternoon at Fluor Field. The Drive pounded out a season-high 22 hits to claim the series victory, 3-1.
The Drive's 22 hits are the second-most by a South Atlantic League team this season and the most by the Drive since recording 22 hits against Asheville on July 11, 2015. The 16 runs are the most by Greenville since also recording 16 runs against the Fireflies on August 23, 2017.
Greenville got on the board first for the fourth straight game, scoring again in the first inning. Everlouis Lozada led off the home half with a solo home run to left center, his fourth of the season, to give the Drive a 1-0 lead.

They would add to the lead an inning later. Kole Cottam singled with one out and and Jordan Wren followed with a double to put two in scoring position. Two batters later, Grant Williams delivered a two-out, two-RBI double to score both runners and make it a 3-0 lead.
Columbia answered in the fourth with three runs on their own. Hayden Senger reached on a hit-by-pitch and Chase Chambers and Jose Medina hit back-to-back home runs to tie the game at 3.
Greenville busted it open from there, scoring five runs in the fourth and four more in the fifth. Lozada hit his second home run of the game, this one of the two-run variety, to get the scoring started in the fourth. Later in the inning, Granberg singled to right and an error allowed him to go all the way to third, scoring two in the process. He would later score on a wild pitch to make it a 8-3 game at the time.
In the fifth, the Drive used seven hits to score four times. A single by Cole Brannen, a triple by Williams, a single by Lozada, a double by Howlett and a single by Triston Casas accounted for three runs and put runners on the corners with one out. After a flyout, Tyler Esplin and Kole Cottam recorded back-to-back singles to score Howlett and push the lead to 12-3.
Columbia added two runs in the sixth. With two outs and the bases loaded, Gerson Molina doubled to left to score two and trim the advantage to 12-5.
Greenville tacked on three more in the seventh and another in the eighth. In the seventh, the Drive loaded the bases with no outs. Casas scored on a wild pitch and Brannen tripled to center to score two more. The Drive would load the bases with no outs again in the eighth with Cottam reaching on a hit-by-pitch to score one more for the final of 16-5.
Drive starter Chris Machamer (4-6) earned the win, allowing three runs on four hits in 5.0 innings pitched with five strikeouts against one walk. Columbia starter Jaison Vilera (1-3) suffered the loss, allowing five runs on eight hits 3.1 innings pitched with two walks and one strikeout.
All nine Drive batters recorded a hit with seven players recording a multi-hit game. Williams finished a homer shy of the cycle, going 3-for-5 with a double, triple, two runs and three RBI. Lozada homered twice as part of a four-hit, four-RBI day to go with four runs by the Drive infielder.
Casas reached base in all six plate appearances, going 3-for-3 with three walks and two runs. Granberg and Brannen each added three-hit games, while Esplin and Cottam both managed two hits on the afternoon.
The Drive will have Monday off before starting a three-game series at Delmarva on Tuesday.