SMC Tripped Up Again

Sumter, SC – SMC lost two more games at USC Sumter on Sunday, suffering a four-game sweep at the hands of the Fire Ants.

For the third game in a row, Sumter's offense scored in the first inning, tacking on two runs with the benefit of a leadoff walk and a pair of hits against starter Ryan Gunther (Stratford HS).

In the second, the Pioneers looked to answer with a big inning of their own when Cody Martin's (Stephens Co., GA HS) double to right plated a run and put runners at second and third with no outs. But a sharp line out to third and a ground out limited the SMC damage to one run. 

Sumter made it a short day for Gunther in the bottom of the frame, chasing him with four runs on five hits and a Pioneer error and expanding their lead to 6-1.  

SMC cut into that lead in the third when Luke Tollison (Laurens Academy) followed up back-to-back walks to Travis Burnside (Laurens HS) and Tyler Jackson (Robert E. Lee Academy) with a sharp base hit to left, scoring Burnside and putting two men aboard with one out. But Sumter again minimized the damage, working out of the inning with a 6-2 lead intact.

The Fire Ants took advantage of fifth inning miscues to tack on three more runs, capitalizing on a one-out walk and two Pioneer throwing errors with a pair of RBI hits to make it a 9-2 game.

SMC fought back in the sixth with three scores of their own, highlighted by Dacen Cash's (Stephens Co., GA HS) two run double, but Sumter answered that with five runs in the bottom of the frame to pull away with a 14-5 win.

Gunther fell to 3-2 with the loss. Tollison (2-4, RBI) and Seth Neely (2-4) paced a balanced SMC attack that saw all nine players in the lineup collect at least one hit. 

In game four, Greg Harrison (Hilton Head HS) worked out of trouble early to give SMC a chance, but the bullpen was unable to hold the lead, as a late surge from Sumter sealed the 7-4 loss.

The Fire Ants loaded the bases in the second on a single to right and a pair of infield hits with one out, but Harrison limited the damage to one run by inducing a ground out and a pop out to third.

SMC tied the game in the fourth on a solo home run by Tollison, his fifth of the season, but pulled ahead 2-1 in the bottom of the frame when a two-out walk came around to score.

The Pioneer lineup took their first lead of the game with a three-run fifth, highlighted by Tollison's two-run double, but the Fire Ants answered again with three runs of their own against the SMC bullpen, then tacked on two more in the sixth for the final margin of victory.   

Corey Rhoney took the loss in relief, allowing one run on a hit and two walks in 1/3 of an inning. Tollison provided a bright spot for the SMC offense with a double, home run, and three RBI.

SMC (26-10, 9-5) will look to get back on track Tuesday 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.