Hickory, NC- The Crawdads extinguished the Fireflies 9-5 on Wednesday afternoon as the bullpen delivered 6.1 innings of work, giving up just one run.
'Dads win 9-5!
📰: https://t.co/xO9wDHOQoc pic.twitter.com/z11uDxW7oI
— Hickory Crawdads (@HickoryCrawdads) June 17, 2026
Columbia managed to get a run across in the first without a hit off Crawdads starter Frank Martinez.
The Crawdads rallied for a pair of runs in the bottom half of the inning to take a 2-1 advantage. The runs came as Paulino Santana was hit by a pitch and Marco Argudin singled to put two on. Braylin Morel doubled in Santana for the first run before Luis Marquez hit a sacrifice fly to score Argudin from third.
Ivan Sosa stays hot with his 15th RBI of the season! The Fireflies trail the Crawdads 8-5 going into the bottom of the 8th #LetsGlow pic.twitter.com/rsXdf1xXB5
— Columbia Fireflies (@ColaFireflies) June 17, 2026
The Fireflies got three in the third to bring the score to 4-2. Martinez wrapped up his afternoon after 2.2 innings, yielding four runs (three earned) on four hits and two walks.
Sean Gamble rips a double down the line! #LetsGlow pic.twitter.com/o3kV4Sa20T
— Columbia Fireflies (@ColaFireflies) June 17, 2026
The Crawdads struck back in the fifth to tie the game at four. Marcos Torres and Curley Martha hit back-to-back doubles to make it a one-run game. Angel Arredondo singled in Martha.
The Fireflies extend the lead to 4-2 in the top of the 3rd after Sean Gamble's RBI single to bring in Vanek. The Crawdads will go to the pen #LetsGlow pic.twitter.com/EKceoyDLub
— Columbia Fireflies (@ColaFireflies) June 17, 2026
A four-run seventh inning put the ‘Dads ahead for good. Martha singled and got himself into scoring position before Jhocsuanth Vargas brought him in with an infield single. Arredondo followed up with another hit before Santana delivered a towering fly ball to left for his second homer in as many days.
It's a bird, it's a plane, it's a Josi Novas home run blast! 🚀
Novas ties the game in the top of the third with his first home run of the 2026 season! #LetsGlow pic.twitter.com/k4ejePvivI— Columbia Fireflies (@ColaFireflies) June 17, 2026
The teams traded runs in the eighth, with the Crawdads getting theirs as Torres reached third on a double and stolen base and Vargas lifted a sacrifice to center to score him.
The Fireflies will return to action in Hickory, Thursday, at 7:00 PM #LetsGlow pic.twitter.com/TgSRCpEiW0
— Columbia Fireflies (@ColaFireflies) June 17, 2026
The Crawdads bullpen shined in the victory. JD McReynolds delivered 1.1 innings, Owen Proksch took two and Wily Villar capped off the trio’s hitless performance with a scoreless seventh inning. Michael Trausch surrendered a run in the eighth but shut things down in the ninth to close the game out.
The teams will square off again tomorrow night at 7pm from the Frans.

