Fireflies Score Four Unanswered, Down Pelicans 6-5 on Walk-Off

By Sam Weiderhaft

After holding a 5-2 lead through seven innings, the Myrtle Beach Pelicans sacrificed four runs in the final two innings to fall in their road opener to the Columbia Fireflies 6-5 on Tuesday night. The loss dropped the Pelicans to a 1-3 record, while the Fireflies improved to 2-2.

With the Pelicans up 5-4 in the bottom of the ninth with one out, pitcher Scarlyn Lebron (0-1) walked four straight to allow the tying run. Garrett Brown entered the game and threw a wild pitch with the bases loaded as the winning run came home to score. Starter Kenten Egbert allowed two runs, one earned in his 3 2/3 innings with a pair of walks and five strikeouts.

Andy Garriola (3-4, HR, 4 RBI) stood out with a three-run homer in the third and a sacrifice fly in the seventh. Christopher Paciolla (2-3, 2B) also posted a multi-hit game for his second of the season. Myrtle Beach outhit Columbia 8-3 in the loss.

While scoring four runs in the final two innings, the Fireflies got just one hit in that time with Derlin Figueroa (1-4, HR, 2 RBI) hitting a two-run homer in the eighth. Erick Pena (1-3, HR, 2 RBI, BB) also hit a two-run home run in the second inning.

Nicholas Regalado (1-0) picked up the win with a scoreless ninth inning and two strikeouts. Starter Logan Martin stretched three innings with four earned runs and six strikeouts while walking three and giving up a trio of hits.

The Pelicans and Fireflies will meet for game two of the series on Wednesday night at 7:05 p.m.