The slate was wiped clean for the Hickory Crawdads on June 19 when they began the second half of the 2026 Single-A Carolina League season, and they entered Thursday’s late home game against the Hill City (Va.) Howlers with a 5-0 record in the second half.
Hickory (39-30 overall) has been particularly difficult to beat at home this season, posting a record of 22-11 at L.P. Frans Stadium through Wednesday. And the Crawdads were set to host the Howlers again on Friday, tonight (Saturday, June 27) at 7 p.m., and Sunday at 2 p.m. before embarking on a two-week road trip that will see them visit the Myrtle Beach (S.C.) Pelicans June 30-July 5 and the Augusta (Ga.) GreenJackets July 7-12.
The aforementioned 12-game road swing will be followed by four consecutive off days (July 13-16) that coincide with Major League Baseball’s All-Star break. Then the Crawdads will return to Hickory for their subsequent nine contests (three vs. Wilson Warbirds July 17-19, six vs. Myrtle Beach July 21-26).
In the meantime, here’s a glance at how Hickory performed in games played between June 18-24, beginning with its final game of the first half against the Columbia (S.C.) Fireflies …
THURSDAY, JUNE 18
Columbia 6, Hickory 4 (10 innings)
The Crawdads scored the tying run in the bottom of the ninth inning before the Fireflies outscored them 3-1 in the extra frame, with all five of Hickory’s hits coming on singles.
Deward Tovar (two RBIs) and Luis Marquez (two runs) recorded two singles apiece for the Crawdads, while Paulino Santana registered their remaining base hit.
FRIDAY, JUNE 19
Hickory 10, Columbia 0
Yolfran Castillo (run) had three singles to lead the Crawdads’ offensive onslaught, while Angel Arredondo (three RBIs) and Sebastian Baquera (two RBIs, run) each had two singles to go with a double from Tovar (two RBIs, run) and singles from Marco Argudin (RBI, run) and Daniel Flames (two runs).
Starter Daniel Keaney earned his first win of the year following five innings of one-hit ball during which he had six strikeouts and two walks, with Luimy Munoz (2 IP, 2 H, 3 K) and Geury Rodriguez (2 IP, 3 K) covering the final four innings for Hickory.
SATURDAY, JUNE 20
Hickory 6, Columbia 0
The Crawdads shut out the Fireflies for the second straight night, outhitting them 12-6 in a game that saw relievers Louis Marinaro (2 1/3 IP, 2 K) and Jormy Nivar (3 IP, 3 H, BB, 5 K) earn their third win and third save, respectively.
AJ Russell (3 2/3 IP, 3 H, 5 K) started on the mound for Hickory, which received two hits apiece from Flames (two doubles, two RBIs, two runs), Curley Martha (two singles, RBI, run), Argudin (double, single, run), and Arredondo (two singles, run) as well as one hit each from Santana (single, RBI), Baquera (single, RBI), Castillo (double), and Tovar (single).
SUNDAY, JUNE 21
Hickory 4, Columbia 3
Despite being outhit 11-5, the Crawdads edged the Fireflies thanks to a four-run seventh that was highlighted by a three-run home run from Cal Stark.
Other hits for Hickory came from Flames (single, run), Tovar (single, run), Arredondo (single), and Santana (single), while the winning pitcher was Owen Proksch (2-0), who tossed two innings of scoreless, two-hit relief with four strikeouts and no walks. Furthermore, Michael Trausch (1 1/3 IP, ER, H, BB, 3 K) picked up his first save.
TUESDAY, JUNE 23
Hickory 11, Hill City 10
The Crawdads emerged victorious in a high-scoring affair, finishing with 14 hits as they reached double digits in runs for the eighth time in 2026 and moved to 7-1 in such contests.
Flames (triple, two singles, two RBIs, run), Arredondo (two-run homer, single, three RBIs, three runs), Argudin (two-run homer, single, two RBIs, three runs, SB), Marcos Torres (two singles, RBI), and Santana (two singles, run) all had multiple hits for the hosts, who also got a two-run homer, two RBIs, and a run scored from Martha to go with a single and a run scored from both Castillo and Braylin Morel.
JR McReynolds (3-2) earned the win after tossing 1 2/3 innings of scoreless, one-hit relief with two strikeouts and one walk, while Munoz (K) retired both batters he faced to notch his second save.
WEDNESDAY, JUNE 24
Hickory 7, Hill City 4
Torres had a two-run homer, two singles, two RBIs, two stolen bases, and a run scored, with five other Crawdads — Castillo (single, RBI, two runs, SB), Argudin (double, RBI, run), Arredondo (double, RBI, run), Santana (single, RBI, run), and Baquera (single) — supplying one hit apiece.
Trausch (5-2) was the winning pitcher following a 1-2-3 seventh during which he struck out one of the hitters he faced, while Marinaro struck out both batters he faced in the ninth en route to his sixth save. Starter Moises Morales added 4 2/3 innings of scoreless, hitless ball with nine strikeouts, one walk, and a hit batsman.
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