Pioneers Complete Four Game Sweep

Lancaster, SC – On Sunday, SMC took the momentum early and never gave it back, riding it to two more wins and a four-game road sweep in the first weekend of region play at USC Lancaster.

The Pioneers got off to a hot start in the third game of the series with a four run first. Reggie Weatherford (Lake City HS) drew a leadoff walk and Travis Burnside (Laurens HS) reached on an infield single, putting runners at first and second with one out. Tyler Jackson (Robert E. Lee Academy) lined a base hit to center to score Weatherford with the game's first run, and Luke Tollison (Laurens Academy) followed that up with a double in the gap that scored Burnside and put runners at second and third. Two more runs scored on a throwing error by the USCL pitcher following Ben Boykin's (Fort Mill HS) soft ground ball, and SMC quickly led 4-0.

The Lancers picked up two runs of their own by stringing together four singles, including three with two outs, against SMC starter Ryan Gunther (Stratford HS). SMC scratched out another run in the second on Jackson's second RBI single of the game and three more in the third on a pair of sacrifice flies by Champ Rowland (Wade Hampton HS) and Weatherford, expanding the lead to 8-2.

USCL answered with another run in the bottom of the third on a double and a single to narrow the SMC lead to 8-3. The Pioneers scored an unearned run in the fifth on a pair of Lancer errors, but USCL got it back, tallying a run on a walk and three singles.

In the sixth, Burnside and Jackson hit impressive back-to-back home runs to put the score at 11-4, where it would stay. Gunther (3-1) picked up the win, striking out seven in 4.2 innings of work, while allowing seven hits and four runs, all earned.

Jackson (3-4, HR, 3 RBI), Burnside (2-3, HR), and Boykin (2-4, 2B) all had multi-hit games for the Pioneers.   

In game four, the Pioneers pounded out 17 hits and weathered a rough outing from starter Tyler Wilson (Gaffney HS) to win, 16-7.

Parker Hudson (Mauldin HS) walked with one out in the first, and Burnside doubled him to third. Jackson stayed hot, driving in two with his base hit to right.

USCL picked up a run of their own in the bottom half of the inning, capitalizing on a base hit, an error, and a hit batsman to cut the lead to 2-1.

SMC manufactured a run in the second, as Robbie Dodds (Wando HS) doubled down the left field line to lead off the inning, moved to third on a sacrifice bunt by Dacen Cash (Stephens Co., GA HS), and scored on a sacrifice fly by Rowland.

The Lancers answered with a solo home run to keep it a one run game. SMC got that one back plus one in the third with a two-run homer by Burnside, his second of the day. But USCL fought back again in their half of the third, homering twice to tie things up and chasing Wilson from the game with no outs. Lefthander Logan Pemberton (Lewisville HS) came on in relief and gave the Pioneers a boost, striking out four and allowing just one hit in three scoreless innings.

The tie game didn't last long, as SMC put up a five spot in the top of the fourth to pull away, keyed by RBI singles by Burnside, Cash, and Rowland, and sacrifice flies by Boykin and Dodds. The Pioneers added three in the sixth on RBI singles by Weatherford and Burnside, and three more in the seventh on Mike Keels' (Manning HS) RBI triple and Rowland's two-run homer.

USCL scored a run in both the sixth and seventh innings, but fell by a final score of 16-7.

Pemberton (1-0) earned the win in relief. Burnside had a huge game, going 4 for 5 with a double, home run, and five RBI. Cash went 3 for 3, and ten different Pioneer hitters registered at least one base hit in a balanced attack.    

SMC (19-5) will play next on Tuesday as they host Catawba Valley CC in a doubleheader beginning at 1 pm.   

Spartanburg Methodist College has 14 intercollegiate teams that compete in Region X of the National Junior College Athletic Association, which includes colleges in the Carolinas, Virginia, and West Virginia.

The College is in its 100th academic year of providing a quality education to students in a Christian environment. More than 90 percent of SMC graduates continue their education at other institutions of higher learning.
 
For more information please contact athletic director Mark Perdue at (864) 587-4237.