Welcome to Segra Park, home of the Columbia Fireflies!
We want to thank you for choosing to join us for some exciting Columbia Fireflies baseball and lots of fun here at Segra Park! We have the greatest fans in Minor League Baseball, and without each and every one of you we wouldn’t be able to create this amazing atmosphere at every Fireflies game. The 2021 season gave us the opportunity to be one of the first sports venues to bring people back together coming out of the Covid-19 pandemic, and we were ecstatic to welcome fans back to Segra Park after a long break. It also marked our first season with a new Major League affiliate in the Kansas City Royals. Records were broken, memories were made, and we all enjoyed the opportunity to get back together as Fireflies fans. In 2022 we are excited to get back to what we hope will be a much more normal season. We will get back to what we do best with lots of fun on-field promotions, fireworks, great food and drinks and much more at every Fireflies game. As if that weren’t enough, we are even going to fire a man out of a cannon on July 23 and you will NOT want to miss out on that! We hope that you will enjoy your time at the ballpark and please be sure to let us know how we can improve your experience for your next trip to Segra Park. You probably saw on your way into the ballpark that there is a lot of construction and activity going on around us. Segra Park sits at the center of the BullStreet District which is a 181-acre redevelopment project that will help create a vibrant community in the heart of our state capital. In the past two years the district has welcomed Starbucks and REI providing the first of many retail pieces of the development. Merrill Gardens is a senior living facility that provides residents with top notch amenities and easy access to Segra Park as well as the new Page Ellington Park, a 20-acre park that sits in the center of the BullStreet District. In addition, many more projects have just completed or are well underway. Two public parking garages with over 800 parking spaces are now nearly complete. The WestLawn project will provide ample office space on top of 14,000 square feet of retail space on the ground floor. Directly across the street from Segra Park work is well underway on the Bennet at BullStreet which will provide the district with a 280,000 sq. ft. community with 269 luxury apartments and 45,000 sq. ft. of retail space. Finally, the historic Babcock building is in the middle of being converted into 208 apartments and the famous red cupola will be restored after being destroyed by a fire in September of 2020. All of this is happening in addition to multiple townhomes, office space, a church and event space already being occupied in the BullStreet District with another huge project set to begin soon as the University of South Carolina will be constructing a new $300 million Health Sciences campus in the BullStreet District. Since 2016 over 1.2 million fans have attended a Fireflies game and an additional 230,000+ have attended other events at Segra Park, and we are just getting started! The best is truly yet to come for the BullStreet District, the Columbia Fireflies and Segra Park and we hope that you will join us for the ride!
Thank you for joining us for a Columbia Fireflies game, and we hope that you will have a world class experience at Segra Park. Please come back and visit us again soon for another Fireflies game or one of the numerous events that are hosted at Segra Park every year. This ballpark was built by the community, for the community, and we can’t wait to welcome you back!
BRAD SHANK President of the Columbia Fireflies
table of contents Fan Code of Conduct & Map.................. 4-5
K9 Klub and Kids Club Info.....................
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Concession Map..........................................
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Kansas City Royals System.....................
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Carolina League...........................................
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Fireflies Coaching Staff............................
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Fireflies Roster.............................................
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Pelicans Roster............................................
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Ticket Information.......................................
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Checkmate in the Clubhouse.................
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Homestand Highlights...............................
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Upcoming Homestand..............................
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Catch the Soda Cap Connector to Segra Park Leave the parking and driving to us Shuttles available every Columbia Fireflies home game The Soda Cap Connector is Columbia’s premier downtown shuttle that takes you to restaurants, attractions and entertainment for only $1.00 to ride. Shuttles begin one hour before the game, continue until one hour after the game and run every 25-30 minutes. Masks are required on all vehicles until further notice.
CATCHTHECOMET.ORG | 803-255-7100 |
Fan code of conduct The Columbia Fireflies are committed to creating a family-friendly and welcoming environment at the ballpark for all guests. As part of that commitment, we have adopted this written policy addressing fan behavior. The policy includes a Fan Code of Conduct, which is fan- facing and describes how fans are expected to behave. Fan Code of Conduct: In order to provide a welcoming experience for all, the Columbia Fireflies have implemented a Fan Code of Conduct. Out of respect for fellow guests, players, coaches, and ballpark staff, all guests are prohibited from: • Trespassing on the playing field at any time; • Interfering with baseballs that are in play; • Throwing or tossing objects; • Using foul, obscene or derogatory language (see below) or gestures; • Misusing or overconsuming alcohol, including, underage consumption; • Behaving in a manner that is disruptive, unruly, or abusive; • Accessing areas of the ballpark without a proper ticket, pass, or credential; • Misusing tickets, passes, or credentials in any way; or • Bringing prohibited items into the ballpark. • Only service dogs are allowed (outside of “Dog Days”) Derogatory language is defined as offensive language concerning a person’s race, ethnicity, gender, religion, disability, age, sexual orientation, or national origin, and anyone using such language is subject to automatic ejection from the ballpark. Violations of the Fan Code of Conduct will not be tolerated and may lead to ejection from the ballpark, a ban on attending future games, or other consequences. Guests who are found to have used derogatory language will be ejected from the ballpark. Guests are encouraged to report violations of the Fan Code of Conduct to the nearest ballpark staff member. This can be done in person, at the nearest Guest Services location, directly with Ballpark Security or by venuesafety@columbiafireflies.com .
CLICK FOR MORE INFORMATION
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segra park map
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concession map
A: LOW N' SLOW BBQ B: POP! / HEALTHY CART C: FUNNEL VISION D: SCOOPS!
1. CONCESSION STAND 2. CONCESSION STAND 3. CONCESSION STAND 4. CONCESSION STAND 5. SWEETWATER BAR 6. BUDWEISER BOWTIE BAR
E: DIPPIN’ DOTS F: SUPER GYRO G: SWEET CAROLINA’S / OREO CHURROS H: SCOOPS! I: PINEAPPLE CART SQUEEZE & FREEZE J: JUANATHANS K CRAFT CORNER L: SCOOPS! M: BOILED PEANUTS/PRETZELS N: PHILLY CART O: POP! P: DIPPIN’ DOTS Q: EL TORO MEXICAN
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kansas city royals minor league system
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carolina league
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Special Events
Located in the heart of Columbia’s Bull Street District, Segra Park is a year round event venue. Our venue is perfect for corporate meetings, galas, weddings, holiday parties and more. It’s a multi-purpose venue that provides a unique backdrop for your next event. CLUB LOUNGE
CONTACT SPECIAL EVENTS 803.888.3023 EVENTS@COLUMBIAFIREFLIES.COM SEGRAPARK.COM
CONFERENCE ROOM
BROAD RIVER BALCONY
THE MASON JAR COLUMBIA FIREFLIES TEAM STORE
store hours
Mon.-Fri 10:00am-5:00pm Sat. & Sun. Closed
2022 fireflies coaching staff
Jesus Azuaje
Tony Peña Jr.
John Habyan
Hitting Coach
Manager
Pitching Coach
Joe Pedulla
Glenn Hubbard
Chris Nelson
Strength and Conditioning Coach
Bench Coach
Assistant Hitting Coach
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2022 fireflies roster pitchers
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6' 3" 195 R-R 08-21-2001 P - Luinder Avila
P - Luis Barroso
P - Jack Aldrich
6' 4" 230 R-R 11-03-1999 P - Wander Arias
6' 3" 165 R-R 09-07-1998
5' 11" 204 L-L 06-12-1999
Caracas, VZ
David, Panama
Oak Park, CA
Sabana Grande de Palenquie, D.R.
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6' 4" 230 R-R 10-23-2000 P - Daury Cabrera Villa Gonzalez, DR
6' 5" 225 R-R 05-02-2000 P - Eric Cerantola Montreal, QC, CAN
6' 1" 167 R-R 12-06-1998 P - Delvin Capellan
6' 2" 175 L-L 02-13-1999 P - Shane Connolly
Guayubin, DR
Huntersville, NC
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6' 0" 220 R-R 10-02-1999 P - Heribert Garcia
6' 3" 230 L-R 01-27-1998 P - John McMillon
6' 3" 175 L-L 06-19-2003 P - Frank Mozzicato
P - Ben Kudrna
6' 3" 175 R-R 01-30-2003 Shawnee Mission, KS
Boliver, VZ
Lufkin, TX
Hartford, CT
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P - Matt Stil
6' 4" 230 R-R 10-08-2001 P - Samuel Valerio Santo Domingo, DR
6' 2" 210 L-L 10-26-1997 P - Ben Wereski
P - Marlin Willis
6' 3" 190 R-R 07-05-2000
6' 4" 190 L-L 06-05-1998
Hartford, CT
Decatur, GA
Decatur, GA
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catchers
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5'11" 170 R-R 12-10-2001 C - Omar Hernandez
C - Kyle Hayes
6' 1" 210 L-R 07-03-2003 C - Carter Jensen
6' 2" 190 R-R 10-08-97
La Habana, CU
Vienna, VA
Kansas City, MO
infielders
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5' 11" 174 S-R 02-13-1999 IF - Rubendy Jaquez
5' 10" 180 R-R 02-14-2001 IF - Edgar Martinez
IF - Omar Florentino
5' 9" 170 S-R 10-26-2001
Salcedo, DR
Navarette, DR
San Juan De La Maguana, DR
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6' 0" 150 R-R 12-15-2003 IF - Daniel Vazquez
IF - Josh Rivera
IF - Enrique Valdez
IF - Guillermo Quintana
5' 11" 185 R-R 01-30-1999
6' 0" 185 L-R 05-15-2001 San Pedro de Macoris, DR
6' 1" 180 R-R 03-16-2001
Villa Mella, DR
San Juan, PR
Cartagena, COL
outfielders
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6' 1" 157 R-R 07-05-2001 OF - Gary Camarillo Santa Barbara de Zulio, VZ
6' 2" 185 L-r 09-16-2001 OF - Darryl Collins
OF - Erick Pena
OF - River Town
6' 3" 205 L-R 02-20-2003 Santo Domingo, D.R.
5' 11" 181
L-R
07-08-1999 Zachary, LA
Spijkenisse, NL
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2022 myrtle beach pelicans Pitchers: 24 Luis Devers 33 Richard Gallardo 53 Jose Miguel Gonzalez 9 Porter Hodge 57 Bryan King 41 Adam Laskey 21 Luke Little 52 Johzan Oquendo 16 Sheldon Reed 35 Luis Angel Rodriguez 17 Tyler Santana 51 Frankie Scalzo Jr. Infielders: 56 Kevin Made 38 Juan Mora 13 BJ Murray Jr. 3 Reginald Preciado 15 Liam Spence 45 Felix Stevens 7 James Triantos Outfielders: 12
Kevin Alcantara 39 Pete Crow-Armstrong 25 Peter Matt 5 Ezequiel Pagan 22 Jacob Wetzel
20 Tyler Schlaffer 55 Chase Wood 19 Jarod Wright
Catchers: 8
Miguel Fabrizio
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Ethan Hearn
Malcom Quintero
CLICK FOR ROSTER DETAILS
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fireflies tickets
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KIDS ZONE
BOWTIE BAR
Individual Game Tickets
$5/seat
$10/seat
$8/seat (Quantities of 4 or 6)
$14/seat
$10/seat
$16/seat
$11/seat
$56/box (4 seats)
$12/seat
$60/table (4 seats)
Group Tickets
COLa
Attendees of groups of 20 or more in the Palmetto Picnic Pavilion, Palmetto Citizens Federal Credit Union All-Star or Reserved seating will take home a souvenir Fireflies group hat.
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Full Season Tickets
$3,300/table
$735/seat*
$2,995/table
$630/seat
$1,050/seat*
$540/seat
$540/seat*
$330/seat
*Multi-year commitment required
Half Season (33 Games) Half Season Tickets
$330/seat
$299/seat
7 th Inning All-Star Seating Stretch Plans 7 Game Plans $77/seat 14 Game Plans $154/seat 21 Game Plans $220/seat
click for more information
Individual Tickets
Groups Tickets
Season Tickets
Interested in Group Outings or Memberships? Call 803-726-4487 ext 2 or email sales@columbiafireflies.com
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Upcoming Community Organizations of the Game Please stop by their kiosks during the game and learn more about these important local organizations!
5/18 - Lutheran Services Carolinas 5/19 - CureSearch 5/20 - NAMI SC 5/21 - American Legion 5/22 - Golden Gate Movement
The Fireflies strive to give back to the community in which we all live. If you are interested in being a Community Organization of the Game, please contact Halle Wade at 803-888-3007.
Checkmate in the Clubhouse By John Kocsis Jr.
The players in their late teens and early 20s in the Columbia Fireflies clubhouse spend most of their days and nights occupied with what’s happening on the baseball diamond. Sure, they have the game itself, which is typically a 2.5-hour affair at Segra Park or another Carolina League yard. The players are also taking batting practice each day, stretching and lifting, attending
meetings scouting the opposing team and some are taking early work to learn to field the ball better and to play different positions. Whether it is at the plate, on the mound or with a mitt on, most of the day is spent perfecting different parts of the game that each person is playing. Simply put, the 30 men on the roster are constantly churning away about baseball, trying to figure out how to climb the ladder to the show. Certainly, they have to take some time to themselves to focus on something other than baseball. Some escape through music, others through food and more through video games or conversing with friends or life partners. There’s one activity that has taken the team by storm in recent weeks though. This one, rather than involving one diamond, has 64 squares involved. Sure, it’s more complicated than that. See, there’s a king and a queen and they have a pair of knights and bishops that help protect them. On top of that, there are some rooks and eight pawns. Yes, there is a chess club making its way through the Columbia Fireflies clubhouse. Chess has been increasing in popularity the last few years. A 2020 Bloomberg article by Rachael Dottle titled ‘The Queen’s Gambit’ Chess Boom Moves Online detailed that Chess.com has added millions of accounts since the release of the popular Netlflix series. What’s more is that toy manufacturer Goliath Games noted that sales of chess sets are up over 1100% since the show came out two years ago. The group in the clubhouse hasn’t been strongly swayed by The Queen’s Gambit though. You have some players, glancing at the board for the first time, like Isaiah Henry, then others who have been playing for most of their lives. “I think I started to pick it up back in elementary school. If I had some free time, I would play on the computer,” Catcher Carter Jensen remembers. “I never played super seriously, but every once in a while if there were no sports to play or if I was bored, I’d hop online and play against the computer.”
The excitement at Segra Park all started off on the whim of Fireflies Clubhouse Manager Christian Andreas. Near the start of the season, the Colorado native was trying to stock the clubhouse with some fun things for the players to kill some down time with on rainy days or between workouts. He saw the chess boards at a store and thought it was a good idea to try, so he bought a set. The first pair to battle were Jensen and River Town. Jensen was able to take home the victory and even went on a little run throughout the clubhouse, establishing the persona of being “the player to beat.”
Columbia’s back stop was able to take out Town, Jack Aldrich and Isaiah Henry among others in the clubhouse during his run. A lot of people refer to baseball as a thinking man’s game, and chess is certainly built around mental strategy, so It’s been a good fit for the clubhouse so far. “It may sound crazy, but it’s pretty similar if you think about it. The amount of strategy that comes with catching is very similar to the strategy you use with chess,” Jensen relates. “I like to use a defensive strategy to start, but then after I get a feel for my opponent, I decide whether to continue to play defensively or to take charge and attack.” After a bit, another player emerged from the clubhouse to shock Jensen and take over the crown of “best chess player on the Fireflies.” Reliever Shane Connolly was able to checkmate Jensen and a few other players in five moves or less using an opening that certainly isn’t the norm for novice players. He starts simply enough, moving the king’s pawn to E4, which is the most common opener in chess. After that, he switches things around though, utilizing the bishop’s opening. First, he kicks the bishop out to C4 and the queen to G4. “Don’t tell anyone, (sorry, Shane) but if everything goes right, you can win in four moves,” Connolly teaches. “The opening is good because even if the opponent counters well, it opens up the board and develops a couple of good pieces well, so it puts you in a good position.”
2015 was the year Connolly really got into chess. He started off after randomly finding a video on YouTube’s recommended page.
“I started watching and got hooked. Then I started playing on Chess.com and eventually my roommate in college and I got a board and started playing every night,” Connolly explains.
Connolly has been able to beat out Samuel Valerio and Noah Cameron too, but gives credit to Cameron, saying he has come the closest to matching him.
As with all competitive things, Connolly’s run will likely end at some point this season, and there will be a new “king” of chess in the Fireflies club house. Until then though, we’ll try our best not to give away any more secrets. We may not have broken the first rule of chess club, but this story was too good not to share.
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