Columbia 5 - Charleston 3

BOX SCORE

CHARLESTON, SC – Simeon Woods-Richardson, Bryce Hutchinson and Allan Winans showed off some impressive stuff on the mound Thursday. Columbia’s pitchers struck out a season-high 15 Charleston hitters in a 5-3 series-opening defeat at Joe Riley Park. The trio only allowed one earned run and walked just one.

Woods-Richardson (0-2, 1.23) was particularly over-whelming on the mound. The Mets’ seventh-rated prospect punched out seven over three innings. The righty has not walked a single batter (compared to 22 total strikeouts) in 14.2 innings this year.

Behind him, Hutchinson fanned five over three frames. The 20-year-old surrendered just one hit. If that wasn’t impressive enough, Winans – making his Fireflies debut – retired all six that he faced in the seventh and eighth. The right-hander punched out three.

Columbia (7-13) held a brief lead on Thursday after pulling ahead 2-0 in the third. The RiverDogs countered with three scores in the home half and eventually built a three-run lead by the sixth. The visitors cut the deficit to two the following frame but failed to score again.

The Fireflies had the bases loaded in the top of the ninth with two outs. Reliever Rodney Hutchinson (S, 1) retired pinch-hitter Wagner Lagrange to end the game.

Daniel Bies (W, 1-1) was impressive on the slope for Charleston (9-12). The 22-year-old right-hander struck out eight over 5.2 innings and didn’t allow an earned run.

Ronny Mauricio (single, single) and Brian Sharp (triple, single) finished with multi-hit games for Pedro Lopez’s club.

SCORING SUMMARY:

Top 3: Jose Medina scores from third on a wild pitch … Ronny Mauricio drives in Anthony Dirocie with a single up the middle. COL 2, CHS 0

Bottom 3: Isaiah Pasteur singles in a run … Josh Breaux plates two with a base hit to centerfield. CHS 3, COL 2

Bottom 5: Pasteur scores from second after Bryce Hutchinson strikes out Kyle Gray (dropped third strike) and Hayden Senger commits a throwing error. CHS 4, COL 2

Bottom 6: Canaan Smith homers. CHS 5, COL2

Top 7: Brian Sharp triples, Medina grounds out but scores the runner. CHS 5, COL 3

The Fireflies and RiverDogs continue their series on Friday. First pitch is scheduled for 7:05 ET at Joe Riley Park. Right-hander Dedniel Nunez (2-1, 4.41) is scheduled to throw for Columbia and faces Charleston’s righty Luis Gil (0-1, 1.46).