The Columbia Fireflies (28-27) lost 5-1 to the Charleston Riverdogs (27-29) Tuesday night at Spirit Communications Park in the first game of a six-game homestand for the Fireflies.
This game featured three matches against Charleston and three matches against Augusta, also honoring the soldiers at Fort Jackson.
The Fireflies struggled offensively the whole game, especially the beginning, which ultimately secured their loss. Columbia went without a single hit in the first three innings, while Charleston had four hits.
This lull continued to progress for the Fireflies and allowed them to end up with only three hits and one run at the end of the game. Their only run was a home run which came from left fielder Matt Winaker during the seventh inning, however it was not enough.
Despite the slow start, the Riverdogs were not able to produce the speedy start that they needed, but they were able to score their first run in the fourth inning when right fielder Steven Sensley took advantage of a Fireflies error to score.
The defensive struggles continued for the Fireflies when Catcher Eduardo Navas hit a two-run home run to give Charleston a 3-0 lead in the seventh. The Riverdogs then gained a 5-1 lead in the eighth when third baseman Dermis Garcia hit a two-run home run.
The Fireflies still had not found their rhythm at the end of the game, where they went without a hit in the last two innings. They had two hits between the fourth and fifth inning, however it led to nothing but scoreless innings for Columbia.
This loss leaves the Fireflies at fourth in the South division of the South Atlantic League, while the win leaves the Riverdogs at fifth in the South Division of the South Atlantic League.
Even though the Fireflies were unable to find strength within their offense and defense, this Columbia team hopes to find redemption when they return Wednesday night to face the Riverdogs, who hold a 1-0 series lead, with the first pitch scheduled at 7:05 p.m.