Birds Beat Fireflies 3-2 in 11 Innings

By Sam Weiderhaft

In a low-scoring affair that lasted 11 innings, the Myrtle Beach Pelicans took down the Columbia Fireflies 3-2 in the fifth game of the series on Saturday night. The win pushed the Pelicans up to 14-11, while the Fireflies dropped to 16-10.

Miguel Fabrizio (2-4, HR, RBI) paced the Pelicans’ offense with a solo home run and a single. Reivaj Garcia (1-5, RBI) provided the game-winning hit with an RBI single in the 11^th. Felix Stevens (1-4, 2B) added a double in the seven-hit performance for Myrtle Beach.

Just three pitchers were used by the Birds with Johzan Oquendo (3-0) picking up his third win of the year after three hitless frames with just two walks allowed and four strikeouts. Starter Nick Hull stretched across five innings with the two earned runs off four hits and a walk while punching out six.

Three of the five Columbia hits came from lead-off hitter Jean Ramirez (3-5, 3B). Ramirez scored a run in his two singles, one triple ballgame. The RBI were credited to Brett Squires (0-3, RBI, BB) and Omar Florentino (0-3, RBI). The Fireflies went 0-for-8 with runners in scoring position.

After giving up the go-ahead single to Garcia, Marcus Olivarez (0-1) took the loss following his one-inning outing. Starting pitcher Shane Panzini lasted six innings with the home run allowed to Fabrizio being the only mark on his stat line. Panzini struck out five while allowing five hits and not walking anyone.

The home team grabbed the lead early as Ramirez tripled in the Fireflies’ first at-bat of the game. Following a strikeout and a walk, Squires lifted a sacrifice fly to right that scored Ramirez and put Columbia up 1-0.

Fabrizio took the first pitch of the third inning over the wall in left field for his first home run of the season to tie the game at one.

Columbia retook the lead in the bottom of the fifth with their final run of the game. After the first batter was retired, Hull gave up back-to-back singles. With runners on the corners, Florentino grounded out to second to score Brennon McNair from third.

The Pelicans battled back in the top of the seventh to tie the game at two. With Jefferson Encarnacion on third and Reginald Preciado batting, reliever Chazz Martinez threw a pitch behind Omar Hernandez behind the plate to score Encarnacion.

After a quiet 10^th from both teams, the Pelicans scored the go-ahead run in their half of the 11^th. Preciado started on second and was knocked home on a one-out single up the middle from Garcia to give the Birds a 3-2 advantage.

The Fireflies threatened in the bottom half with the tying run on third and the winning run at first with only one out. Squires came up and grounded to Miguel Pabon at first who turned the 3-6-3 double play to end it.

Myrtle Beach and Columbia will finish the series on Sunday at 5:05 p.m.