Fireflies Get Swept in Extra Innings

Columbia. SC –  The Columbia Fireflies were swept for the first time this season as they dropped the series finale to the Hagerstown Suns. A pitchers duel paced the game tonight at Spirit Communications Park.P.J. Conlon through a gem this evening, throwing 6 1/3 hitless innings for the Fireflies. His opponent Jefry Rodriguez lasted just seven innings posting a 2.67 ERA striking out eight batters while giving up just one run (which was also a homer).

A pitchers duel paced the game tonight at Spirit Communications Park.P.J. Conlon through a gem this evening, throwing 6 1/3 hitless innings for the Fireflies. His opponent Jefry Rodriguez lasted just seven innings posting a 2.67 ERA striking out eight batters while giving up just one run (which was also a homer).

The Suns got on a base after a throwing error from P.J. Conlon, which let Rhett Wiseman get onto first. Wiseman would be brought in two plays later on a sac fly to right from Austin Davidson.  David Thompson tied the game up for Columbia in the seventh with a solo shot homer.

Heading into the ninth the game as tied as the Fireflies hoped to avoid their first of the season.  Conlon pitched into the ninth, the longest start of any South Atlantic League pitcher. In ten full innings of work Conlon put up a 1.231 ERA with five Ks, no earned runs and giving up just three hits.

Conlon pitching wouldn’t be enough to get the win, as the offense came at a premium and sent the game into extra innings, and Conlon pitched a scoreless tenth. In the 12th, as a wild pitch put a runner in scoring position for the Suns and a second consecutive wild pitch put the Suns up 2-1. That would be all they would need to sweep the Fireflies at Spirit Communications Park. Jorge Pantoja got the victory and tied P.J. Conlon with the most victories in the SAL. Jorge has gotten all those wins in relief appearances.

The Fireflies have tomorrow off and will face Augusta on Monday.