Columbia 7 - Augusta 2

Jordan Humphreys was magnificent in his seven innings pitched for the Fireflies. Columbia dominated Augusta, 7-2, and earned its first victory on the road this year at Lake Olmstead Stadium in Augusta. The Fireflies are unbeaten against the GreenJackets in five meetings this year.

Humphreys (W, 2-0) retired the first 16 hitters he faced. The 20-year-old finished with nine strikeouts, which brought his strikeout total to 18 on the season. Augusta (1-7) starter D.J. Myers (L, 0-2) matched the righty with five shutout innings too. Tim Tebow’s single in the second was the only hit from either side through five stanzas.

Columbia (6-2) awoke in the sixth when Ali Sanchez led off the frame with a single. It was the first of five straight hits. Luis Carpio drove in the first run of the game with a base hit that scored Sanchez. Michael Paez knocked in two runs with his second double of the season. The hits were contagious as Dash Winningham slugged a double, which plated Paez. It was Winningham’s team-leading 11th RBI of the season. Columbia took a 5-0 advantage.

The no-hit bid from Humphreys vanished in the bottom of the sixth. Kevin Rivera tripled to center field. Desmond Lindsay dove after the line-drive, but the ball went under his glove and rolled to the wall. 

Max Kuhns came out of the bullpen for the Fireflies and shut the door in the final two innings. Kuhns and Humphreys combined for 11 strikeouts and zero walks. The tandem also did not allow an Augusta lead-off hitter to reach base in any frame.

Columbia added two more runs in the eighth inning, while taking advantage of two Augusta errors.

The Fireflies are back in action Friday night for game two of this series against the Augusta GreenJackets. First pitch is set for 7:05 p.m. at Lake Olmstead Stadium. Righty Gabriel Llanes (0-0, 4.15) makes the start for Columbia. Augusta sends left-hander Cameron Avila-Leeper (0-1, 31.50) to the mound.