SMC Splits With Florence-Darlington

Spartanburg, SC – SMC (26-6, 9-1) split a doubleheader with Florence-Darlington (16-13, 5-5) on Sunday, dropping the first game to snap their 16 game win-streak before salvaging the nightcap.

On a chilly day with damp conditions, the Pioneers were unable to get anything going offensively in game one, wasting a quality effort by righthander Ben Carlson, who took his first loss of the season.

The Pioneers threatened in the bottom of the third with one out, as they loaded the bases on hits by Champ Rowland (Wade Hampton HS) and Dacen Cash (Stephens Co., GA HS) and a Stinger error, but were unable to capitalize, as a fielder's choice and a pop-out got Florence-Darlington out of the jam unscathed.

The Stingers seized the momentum in their next at-bat, doing all of their damage with two outs in the fourth. Carlson had faced the minimum through three innings, and after two groundouts, it appeared he was on his way to another quick one. But the next batter kept the inning alive by hustling out an infield single to shortstop, and a walk and wild pitch put runners at second and third. A double to right-center chased home the only runs of the game and gave the visitors a 2-0 lead that would prove to be the difference.

Carlson (6-1) went the distance for the fifth time, scattering five hits while walking three and striking out four. 

Rowland, Cash, Tyler Jackson (Robert E. Lee Academy) and Luke Tollison (Laurens Academy) picked up the hits for SMC.

In game two, the Pioneers were able to get on the board with a pair of runs in the second. Jackson walked to lead off the inning, Tollison singled through the middle, and Boykin drew another walk to load the bases with no outs. Seth Neely (Rock Hill HS) and Michael Keels (Manning HS) each connected on sacrifice flies to give SMC an early 2-0 lead.

The Stingers answered with a single run in the fourth on a pair of two-out hits and a stolen base off starter Jake Long (T.L. Hanna HS), but SMC got it back in the bottom of the frame. Neely led off with a triple to center, and one out later, Rowland's sac fly plated him to make the score 3-1, which would prove to be the final.

Long (4-0) picked up the win with five innings of work, working around six hits and three walks while striking out six. Hunter Rice (Boiling Springs HS) pitched one-third of an inning to earn his fourth save. 

Neely, Tollison, and Reggie Weatherford (Lake City HS) tallied the only Pioneer hits.

SMC (26-6, 9-1) will be back in action on Wednesday as they host USC-Salkehatchie in a pair of non-region games starting 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.