Mark Parker Hickory Daily Record Correspondent

The Hickory Crawdads, debuting a new alternate identity, the Hickory Goat-Karts, dropped a game to Columbia on 5-4 at L.P Frans on Friday.

The new Goat-Karts identity is a nod to the city's roots as a late 19th and early 20th century hub for wagon making. It is also a recognition of Hickory's prominent place in NASCAR history, including its short track, Hickory Motor Speedway, known as the "birthplace of NASCAR stars."

Columbia Fireflies never trailed on Friday night, as the team took a 3-0 lead in the top of the second inning. Hickory got two runs back in the third inning, but Columbia scored what turned out to be the key runs of the game in the fifth. Brennon McNair doubled to lead off the inning before Gabriel Silva hit an 0-2 fastball o

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