Andrew Church Puts Up A Maddux In His Return To Columbia

Rome Braves @ Columbia Fireflies

July 16, 2016

Touki Toussaint @ Andrew Church

Teams	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9		R	H	E
Rome	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0		0	1	0
Columbia	1	0	1	1	0	0	0	1	X		4	7	0

W: Church (3-0, 0.42 ERA); L: Toussaint (2-6, 4.40 ERA)

Boxscore

The Highlights:

Pitchers

Andrew Church (W, 3-0, 0.42 ERA) – 9 IP, 1 H, 1 TB, 1 BB, 10 K (5 K/Sw), 1 GIDP, 8 GB: 4 FB: 3 LD: 2 PU, 99 Pitches (73 Strikes), 10 Swinging, 22 Called, 10.1% SwStr, 19.6% Whiff/Swing, 11 Pitches/IP, 30 BF

Batters

CF - Tucker Tharp - 1-3, 1 R, 1 BB, 1 CS, 3.5 Pitches/PA

LF - Vicente Lupo - 3-4, 1 R, 1 2B, 1 HR, 2 RBI, 1 K, 1 SB, 20% SwStr, 50% Whiff/Swing, 3.75 Pitches/PA

DH - Eudor Garcia - 1-4, 1 R, 1 HR, 1 RBI, 10% SwStr, 14.3% Whiff/Swing, 2.5 Pitches/PA

RF - Joe Tuschak - 1-4, 1 K, 5.6% SwStr, 20% Whiff/Swing, 4.5 Pitches/PA

C - Tyler Moore - 1-3, 1 RBI, 1 K, 8.3% SwStr, 12.5% Whiff/Swing, 8 Pitches/PA

Recapish

            Andrew Church returned to the Fireflies with a bang Saturday night, tossing a complete game one hit shutout on just 99 pitches, which is also known as a “Maddux” for all-time great Greg Maddux. Vicente Lupo did much of the damage for Columbia on offense, finishing a triple shy of the cycle and with two runs batted in.

Church made a pair of starts for Columbia earlier in the season before being promoted to the St. Lucie Mets, where he posted a 3.60 ERA over 6 starts (35 IP). He owned Rome for 7.2 IP on May 30^th, but then took his effort to another level Saturday night. Per this cached cbssports post, there have only been three 9-inning starts with a better game score than Church’s 100 in MLB history, and the maximum score would be 114. Who knows how that ranks on the all-time SAL leaderboard, and it’s not a great stat, but that’s still pretty impressive.

No Dice For Bryce In Delmarva Opener

Delmarva Shorebirds @ Columbia Fireflies

July 12, 2016

Brian Gonzalez @ Bryce Beeler

Teams	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9		R	H	E
Delmarva	1	2	0	0	0	0	2	0	2		7	10	1
Columbia	0	0	0	0	0	0	1	2	0		3	9	0

W: Gonzalez (6-5, 2.74 ERA); L: Beeler (1-1, 2.35 ERA)

Boxscore

The Highlights:

Pitchers

Bryce Beeler (L, 1-1, 2.35 ERA) – 2 IP, 5 H, 3 R (3 ER), 1 2B, 6 TB, 2 BB, 2 K (0 K/Sw), 3 GB: 2 FB: 3 LD: 1 PU, 48 Pitches (29 Strikes), 2 Swinging, 11 Called, 4.2% SwStr, 11.1% Whiff/Swing, 24 Pitches/IP, 13 BF

Witt Haggard (2.76 ERA) – 2.2 IP, 1 H, 1 TB, 3 BB, 3 K (2 K/Sw), 1 GIDP, 2 GB: 3 FB, 49 Pitches (27 Strikes), 8 Swinging, 7 Called, 16.3% SwStr, 40% Whiff/Swing, 18.4 Pitches/IP, 11 BF

Craig Missigman (3.09 ERA) – 2.1 IP, 1 H, 2 R (2 ER), 1 HR, 4 TB, 1 BB, 2 K (2 K/Sw), 6 FB, 29 Pitches (20 Strikes), 2 Swinging, 5 Called, 6.9% SwStr, 13.3% Whiff/Swing, 12.4 Pitches/IP, 9 BF

Nicco Blank (8.22 ERA) – 1 IP, 1 H, 1 TB, 1 BB, 1 K (1 K/Sw), 2 GB: 1 PU, 21 Pitches (12 Strikes), 1 Swinging, 3 Called, 4.8% SwStr, 11.1% Whiff/Swing, 21 Pitches/IP, 5 BF

Alex Palsha (3.03 ERA) – 1 IP, 2 H, 2 R (2 ER), 1 HR, 5 TB, 1 BB, 1 GB: 2 FB: 1 LD, 14 Pitches (8 Strikes), 1 Called, 14 Pitches/IP, 5 BF

Batters

PH/2B – Dale Burdick - 1-3, 1 R, 1 HR, 2 RBI, 1 K, 2.67 Pitches/PA

RF - Kevin Kaczmarski - 1-3, 1 BB, 1 K, 1 CS, 5.9% SwStr, 16.7% Whiff/Swing, 4.25 Pitches/PA

DH - Vicente Lupo - 2-4, 1 R, 2 K, 28.6% SwStr, 50% Whiff/Swing, 3.5 Pitches/PA

1B - Dash Winningham - 1-4, 3 K, 15.4% SwStr, 25% Whiff/Swing, 6.5 Pitches/PA

SS - Milton Ramos - 2-3, 1 K, 11.1% SwStr, 33.3% Whiff/Swing, 3 Pitches/PA

C - Tyler Moore - 2-3, 1 R, 1 GIDP, 11.1% SwStr, 25% Whiff/Swing, 3 Pitches/PA

Recapish

            The Fireflies started their homestand with a loss to Delmarva Tuesday night, as they were unable to overcome an early deficit left by starter Bryce Beeler. Beeler was removed after just 48 pitches and has since been placed on the DL, so stay tuned for updates. The early departure left too much work for Columbia’s pen, and Delmarva was able to pull away with a couple of late rallies against them.

Late Charge Supports Beeler The Dealer

Charleston River Dogs @ Columbia Fireflies

July 6, 2016

Nestor Cortes @ Bryce Beeler

Teams	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9		R	H	E
Charleston	0	1	0	0	0	0	0	0	0		1	7	0
Columbia	0	0	0	0	0	0	1	3	X		4	7	0

W: Haggard (2-4, 3.29 ERA); L: Mundell (0-2, 5.63 ERA); Save: Palsha (14)

Boxscore

The Highlights:

Pitchers

Bryce Beeler (0.68 ERA) – 7 IP, 6 H, 1 R (1 ER), 1 HR, 9 TB, 5 K (4 K/Sw), 10 GB: 8 FB: 3 LD, 81 Pitches (56 Strikes), 9 Swinging, 13 Called, 11.1% SwStr, 20.9% Whiff/Swing, 11.6 Pitches/IP, 26 BF

Witt Haggard (W, 2-4, 3.29 ERA) – 1 IP, 1 H, 1 TB, 1 K (1 K/Sw), 1 GB: 1 LD, 15 Pitches (10 Strikes), 3 Swinging, 3 Called, 20% SwStr, 42.9% Whiff/Swing, 15 Pitches/IP, 3 BF

Alex Palsha (S, 14, 2.60 ERA) – 1 IP, 1 BB, 1 K (0 K/Sw), 1 GIDP, 1 GB, 12 Pitches (6 Strikes), 4 Called, 12 Pitches/IP, 3 BF

Batters

SS – Jean Rodriguez - 1-4, 1 RBI, 1 K, 10% SwStr, 22.2% Whiff/Swing, 5 Pitches/PA

2B - Luis Ortega - 1-4, 1 CS, 11.1% SwStr, 14.3% Whiff/Swing, 2.25 Pitches/PA

DH – Jeffrey Diehl - 2-3, 1 2B, 1 RBI, 1 K, 3.67 Pitches/PA

3B - Eudor Garcia - 1-3, 1 R, 1 K, 3.33 Pitches/PA

LF - Vicente Lupo - 1-3, 1 R, 1 2B, 1 RBI, 1 K, 3 Pitches/PA

CF - Enmanuel Zabala - 1-3, 1 R, 1 3B, 1 RBI, 1 K, 12.5% SwStr, 22.2% Whiff/Swing, 5.33 Pitches/PA

Recapish

            The Fireflies took the rubber game of their series with the rival Charleston River Dogs Wednesday night, winning 4-1 thanks to another late inning charge. Columbia won after jumping ahead in the 8^th inning Tuesday night, which is when they struck the final blow in the finale Wednesday.

            Bryce Beeler made his second start of the season for Columbia and was excellent. Per the Fireflies announcers, Mets people think Beeler’s changeup will allow him to have success as a starter. He also appears to throw a low-90’s heater and sharp breaking curve.

After finishing Gosuke Katoh on 3 pitches for a strikeout to start his night, Beeler needed only 3 more pitches to round out a perfect 1^st inning. He made a mistake in the 2^nd and Jhalan Jackson punished it for the River Dogs only run of the game. Jackson hit it off the batters eye above the big CF wall, just to the left of dead center.

Fireflies Swept Out Of Columbia

Augusta Green Jackets @ Columbia Fireflies

June 26, 2016

Matt Solter @ Tyler Badamo

Teams	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9		R	H	E
Augusta	1	0	0	0	0	1	2	0	0		4	9	0
Columbia	0	1	1	0	0	0	0	0	0		2	4	1

W: Kaden (5-2, 3.86 ERA); L: Haggard (0-3, 3.12 ERA); Save: Alvarado (1)

Boxscore

The Highlights:

Pitchers

Tyler Badamo (3.92 ERA) – 5.1 IP, 5 H, 2 R (2 ER), 1 2B, 1 HR, 9 TB, 1 BB, 3 K (3 K/Sw), 1 GIDP, 5 GB: 7 FB: 3 LD: 2 PU, 82 Pitches (54 Strikes), 11 Swinging, 10 Called, 13.4% SwStr, 25% Whiff/Swing, 15.4 Pitches/IP, 22 BF

Witt Haggard (L, 0-3, 3.12 ERA) – 1 IP, 1 H, 1 R (0 ER), 1 TB, 1 BB, 2 GB: 2 FB, 19 Pitches (13 Strikes), 4 Called, 19 Pitches/IP, 6 BF

Seth Davis (2.37 ERA) – 1.2 IP, 1 H, 1 R (0 ER), 1 TB, 1 K (0 K/Sw), 3 GB: 2 PU, 24 Pitches (15 Strikes), 3 Swinging, 3 Called, 12.5% SwStr, 25% Whiff/Swing, 14.4 Pitches/IP, 8 BF

Alex Palsha (2.84 ERA) – 1 IP, 1 H, 1 TB, 2 K (2 K/Sw), 2 LD, 14 Pitches (10 Strikes), 3 Swinging, 5 Called, 21.4% SwStr, 60% Whiff/Swing, 14 Pitches/IP, 4 BF

Batters

RF - Kevin Kaczmarski - 1-4, 1 K, 3.25 Pitches/PA

1B - Dash Winningham - 1-4, 1 R, 1 HR, 1 RBI, 2 K, 5.9% SwStr, 16.7% Whiff/Swing, 4.25 Pitches/PA

SS - Milton Ramos - 1-3, 1 BB, 1 K, 9.1% SwStr, 28.6% Whiff/Swing, 5.5 Pitches/PA

LF - Vicente Lupo - 1-1, 1 RBI, 3 BB, 1 SB, 17.4% SwStr, 44.4% Whiff/Swing, 5.75 Pitches/PA

Recapish

            A sunny afternoon in Columbia turned dark quick for the Fireflies, as they lost their lead, their starting pitcher, and then their fourth straight game to Augusta. Heading to the 6^th up 2-1, Tyler Badamo allowed a solo blast to Miguel Gomez to give up the lead. He then tweaked his back reaching for a high chopper hit by the very next batter, which led to his early exit. The Green Jackets then jumped ahead for good against the Fireflies pen in the 7^th.

            Badamo was in trouble during the 1^st inning, but got some defensive help while limiting Augusta to just one run. With runners on the corners and one out, Dylan Davis launched one towards the right center field gap that likely would’ve knocked in both runs had Kevin Kaczmarski not made a great jumping catch at the wall. He faced a little more trouble in the 2^nd, but kept Augusta off the board and then mostly cruised until his unexpected departure.