Fireflies Game Notes: April 12 @ Rome (Games 5 and 6)

Columbia Fireflies (1-3) at Rome Braves (2-2) 

Game 1: RHP Tyler Badamo (’15: 5-6, 3.10, 14 GS) vs. RHP Touki Toussaint (‘15: 5-7, 4.83, 17 GS)

Game 2: RHP Joe Shaw (’15: 1-1, 3.29, 9 GP) vs. RHP Mike Soroka (‘16: 0-0, 2.25)

Tuesday, April 12, 2016 — State Mutual Stadium (Rome, GA) — First Pitch 5:00 p.m. — Games 5 & 6

 LISTEN: WGCV 620 AM / ColumbiaFireflies.com / TuneIn Radio App

ABOUT LAST GAME: The Fireflies stumbled in their series finale against the Charleston RiverDogs on Sunday, falling 6-5. Two Columbia hitters had multi-hit nights -- Vinny Siena (3-5, 2B) and Joe Tuschak (2-4, 2 2Bs). It capped a funky four-game stretch at Joseph P. Riley Jr. Park. Three times Charleston won in walk-off fashion in the bottom of the ninth and Saturday’s matchup saw three Fireflies pitchers -- Thomas McIlraith, Alex Palsha, and Johnny Magliozzi -- combine for a no-hitter.   

HEAR FROM THE TRIO: McIlraith, Palsha and Magliozzi take you inside the clubhouse and explain how the no-hitter came to fruition (via MiLB.com).

GEORGIA GUYS: The Fireflies ventured to Rome, Georgia, to begin a three-game series with the Braves. Monday’s game was rained out and now play a doubleheader on Tuesday. Rome is located just about 60 miles from Turner Field in Atlanta -- the home of the Major League Braves. Reliever Tyler Bashlor is the lone Georgia native on the active roster. He grew up in Springfield and attended Cavalry Day School in Savannah. Manager Jose Leger also played college baseball at Middle Georgia College (Cochran) and Georgia College & State University (Milledgeville). 

HEART OF THE ORDER: Columbia’s three, four and five hitters -- Vinny Siena, Dash Winningham, and David Thompson -- shined against Charleston. We’re only four games into the season, but here are their South Atlantic League ranks:

Siena: 5th in AVG (.462), 4th in OBP (.556)

Winningham: T-1st Runs (5)

Thompson: T-3rd in RBIs (6), T-5th in XBH (3)

THE OTHER GUYS: Rome is loaded with Braves prospects, there are seven on the roster: (6) RHP Touki Toussaint, (7) INF Austin Riley, (10) Max Fried, (13) RHP Mike Soroka, (19) LHP Ricardo Sanchez, (20) C Lucas Herbert and (23) Ronald Acuna.