Pioneers Take Two From Pitt CC

Greenville, NC – In a matchup of nationally ranked teams on Saturday, the No. 16 Pioneers (21-5, 6-0) swept a pair of road games, beating No. 6 Pitt CC (18-3, 4-2) twice by identical 3-1 scores.

In the first game, Ben Carlson (Mauldin HS) threw his fourth complete game of the season, and Tyler Jackson (Robert E. Lee Academy) drove in all three Pioneer runs to lead SMC to a 3-1 road win over their Region X rivals.

SMC struck first, as Reggie Weatherford (Lake City HS) walked to lead off the game, and one out later, Travis Burnside's (Laurens HS) base hit to right-center put runners at first and second. Jackson followed that up with a two-strike single through the middle to plate Weatherford with the game's first run, before a double play erased the Pioneer threat.

Carlson was sharp in his sixth start, retiring nine of the first ten batters he faced and 15 of the first 17.  

While Carlson kept throwing zeros on the board, SMC's offense also went scoreless from the second inning on until breaking through again in the sixth. Weatherford drew another leadoff walk and advanced to second on Parker Hudson's (Mauldin HS) sacrifice bunt. Burnside lined a single to left, then advanced on a pitch in the dirt, putting runners at second and third for Jackson. The sophomore first baseman delivered again, driving another base hit through the middle to score two and expand the Pioneer lead to 3-0.  

Pitt picked up their only run of the game in the bottom half of the sixth on a leadoff double down the left field line and a two out RBI single. But Carlson induced an inning ending fly out and retired the Bulldogs in order in the seventh to improve to 6-0 on the season. He allowed just two hits and one walk in the complete game effort, while striking out two.

Jackson and Burnside each went 2 for 3 to pace the SMC offense. 

SMC got another stellar pitching performance in game two, this time from righthander Jake Long (T.L. Hanna HS). After two quick outs in the bottom of the first, Pitt tagged Long for a solo home run and a single. But the freshman responded by sitting down fifteen straight Bulldog hitters and not allowing another baserunner until the sixth.  

The Pioneers took the lead in the second, as Dacen Cash (Stephens Co., GA HS) reached on a one out walk, and was thrown out when trying to go first to third on Michael Keels' (Manning HS) single to center. Keels moved up one base on the throw to third, and Champ Rowland's (Wade Hampton HS) double down the right field line chased him home, tying the game at 1. Consecutive walks to Weatherford and Hudson loaded the bases and sent Pitt looking to their bullpen to get out of the jam. But Burnside legged out a run-scoring infield single before a pop out in foul territory ended the SMC threat with the visitors up, 2-1.

Long continued to cruise before being lifted in the sixth after yielding a walk with two outs in the frame. Lefthander Ronnie Kleinbach (Batavia, NY HS) came on in relief and got a big inning-ending strikeout with Pitt's biggest power threat at the plate, preserving the one-run lead.

SMC expanded on that lead in the seventh, tacking on a valuable insurance run. Jackson started the inning with a double to right and advanced to third on a long fly out to center by Luke Tollison (Laurens Academy). Following an intentional walk to Ben Boykin (Fort Mill HS), Cash made it a 3-1 game with a sacrifice fly to center.

Hunter Rice (Boiling Springs HS) came on to slam the door in the bottom of the seventh, and, after giving up a leadoff double, struck out the next three Pitt batters he faced for his third save of the season.

Long (3-0) picked up the win, striking out seven in 5.2 innings, while allowing just two hits and one walk.

Burnside (2-3, RBI) continued to swing a hot bat with another multi-hit game. The sophomore centerfielder has collected at least two hits in each of the last four games.

SMC (21-5, 6-0) will complete the four game road series with another doubleheader at Pitt CC on Sunday. Start time is 12 noon.   

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.