5 things to know about Columbia Fireflies baseball for home opener
Five things to know about the Columbia Fireflies minor league baseball team and the inaugural season home opener Thursday at Spirit Communications Park.
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1. Opening Day festivities
Expect plenty of pomp and circumstance Thursday night. The Opening Day events start at 6:20 p.m. and include the Fort Jackson band and full team introductions. Columbia Mayor Steve Benjamin is one of the ceremonial first pitch throwers, as well as the six fans who helped name the team.
2. Parking plan
Parking is $3 per car and several lots include trolley service to the main plaza outside the stadium. The three closest general public lots are accessible via Gregg Street off Colonial Drive. Additional spots are available in the Colonial Drive parking lots across from the stadium property. Permit parking is in specified lots off of Freed Drive and Williams and Barnwell streets. Signs and parking attendants will be there to help guide fans. Click here to view a map of the parking options.
3. Beer and fireworks
Nothing says minor league baseball like promotions, and fans get two of the most popular ones on Thursday. The “Thirsty Thursday” promotion includes half-priced draft beer and fountain drinks. Budweiser and several craft beer options are available throughout the park, with the SweetWater Bar on the concourse behind the home plate and the Budweiser Bar beyond center field. Postgame fireworks are on tap for Thursday, Friday and Saturday.
4. Regional rivalries
The Fireflies are the Class A affiliate of the New York Mets and play in the South Atlantic League. They’ll christen the new ballpark against the Greenville Drive, a Boston Red Sox affiliate that used to be the Bombers in Columbia. The Bombers switched organizations, names and cities after the 2003 season. Charleston (Yankees) is a third in-state opponent, though the team in Augusta, (Giants) is the closest to Columbia.
5. A winning start
Columbia is 4-3 after a week on the road to start the season, going 1-3 against Charleston and then sweeping the Rome, Ga., team (Braves). Second baseman Vinny Siena leads the team with a .400 batting average, while third baseman David Thompson has a team-high 8 RBIs. Shortstop Milton Ramos is the highest ranked prospect on the roster.
Fireflies home Opening Day
Who: Greenville at Columbia
When: Thursday, 7:05 p.m. (gates open 5:35 p.m.)
Where: Spirit Communications Park
Radio: 620 AM in Columbia area or on the Tunein App
Tickets: Most individual seat options range from $5 to $10 per ticket, but those are sold out for Opening Day. A limited number of specialty seat options remain for Thursday’s game; those cost $12, $15 or $25, with a four-ticket bullpen box costing $48. Call 803-726-4487 for more information.
Next: Can’t make it Thursday? The Fireflies host Greenville at 7:05 p.m. Friday and Saturday, then again at 2:05 p.m. Sunday.
This story was originally published April 13, 2016 at 8:01 PM with the headline "5 things to know about Columbia Fireflies baseball for home opener."