Baseball wins opening series of the season

KINSTON, NC- The 16th ranked Pioneers (2-1) traveled to Kinston, NC over the weekend to open the 2015 season against Lenoir Community College. The two teams played a doubleheader on Saturday and a single game on Sunday. The Pioneers got off to a slow start in game one but, their play only picked up the rest of the weekend. SMC won the next two games, outscoring LCC 28-7. It seems as if this young team was determined not to play like one. Coach Wallace posted the first lineup of the season starting eight freshman with a sophomore outfielder (Dillon Palencia) and a sophomore pitcher (Blake Smith).

GAME ONE: 

LCC  scored five runs in the second inning to take control of the opening game. SMC only managed two hits through the first five innings. A couple of errors and timely hits allowed LCC to go up 9-0 in the bottom of the fifth. The Pioneers finally got on the board in the sixth after Jared McKay scored off of a RBI double by Darshon Broadwater. O'Kevius Conway followed with a two RBI single to short left that scored Broadwater and Mason Berne.  FINAL: LCC 9, SMC 3.

GAME TWO:

 Hayden Heflin (1-0)(Pinewood Prep) earned the win for the Pioneers in game two on Saturday working four innings while striking out six and only allowing one earned run. The offense came alive and put 12 runs on the board. Ke'shaun Samuel (Darlington High) started the scoring for the Pioneers as he blasted his first collegiate homerun in the top of the first inning. Dominique Jackson (South Gwinnett, GA) was 2-5 two doubles and two stolen bases, Samuel went 2-4 HR, 2B, 2 runs, and 2 SB. Mason Berne (Topsail, NC) 2-5, two 2B, and two runs. KiJana Madden (Hillcrest High)  2-4 Rbi, 2B, two runs, and three stolen bases. FINAL: SMC 12, LCC 6

GAME THREE:  

Sophomore lefty CD Pelham (Lancaster High) started the game for the Pioneers and absolutely dominated LCC with his electric fastball, Pelham (1-0) pounded the strike zone and only gave up two hits in his first win of the year, Pelham (2k, 1 BB, 3IP). The Pioneer offense came out absolutely raking Sunday afternoon, scoring 10 runs on 7 hits in the top of the third inning alone. It wouldn't be until two innings later when SMC came away with the victory. Freshmen Mason Berne had a day going 4-4 with 2 Rbi, two doubles and scored a run. Seth Wall (Georgetown High) went 2-3 with two Rbi, 2B, and two runs, Jackson was 2-4, 2 Rbi, 2B, two runs, and a SB. Samuel was also 2-4 with a Rbi, 2B, two runs, and two SB. SMC was perfect on the base paths swiping 17 stolen bases in the three games. FINAL: SMC 16, LCC 1 (5 innings)

SMC will host Surry Community College in their home opener on Saturday February 7 with game one beginning at 1:00pm. 

Article By: Alex Rogers

I am a freshman student at SMC. Graduated from Saluda High School where I played baseball. I love sports and I have a passion for stats and watching athletes on a high level. I love to write and plan to be a sports analyst/writer for my career. While I am in school, I am doing everything I can to gain experience and learn from others. I plan to do an article for every game of the 2015 baseball season. Please stay tuned with our social media pages Twitter: @gosmcbaseball, Instagram: @SMCpioneerBaseball Facebook: SMC Baseball and Pioneer Athletics at Spartanburg Methodist College, Website: www.gosmcpioneers.com for links to more articles. If you have any ideas or specific stories that you would like me to do a write up on, please email me at alexprogers6@yahoo.com or text/call at (864)-993-1493. I am willing to work with anyone, and love being helped/critiqued. Thank you again for viewing. GO PIONEERS!