SMC Baseball Takes Two from Toccoa Falls

SPARTANBURG, S.C. – Spartanburg Methodist College swept a doubleheader against Toccoa Falls, winning 11-1 (8 innings) and 4-1 on Friday evening. The Pioneers (11-6) have won eight of their last 10 games, including their last six in a row at home.

SMC scored 11 unanswered runs after the visiting Screaming Eagles plated their lone run in the top of the fifth. Jarian Pinckney led the Pioneers with three hits, while Darian Astudillo and Blake Exizian each added two to an 11-hit attack. Leo Lopez, Matt Smith, Chance Greene, and Exizian each had two RBIs in the win.

Starting pitcher Travis Dannecker picked up the win, allowing eight hits and striking out five to raise his record to 3-0. Cole Montgomery pitched the final two innings, striking out a pair for the save.

After taking a 2-1 lead in the bottom of the fifth on a two-RBI single by Lopez, the Pioneers scored six in the sixth to stretch the lead to 8-1. In that inning, Exizian and Smith each had a two-RBI single. The Pioneers added to their lead with a two-run home run by Chance Greene in the seventh and an unearned run in the bottom of the eighth for the final margin.

The nightcap saw SMC have five different players record a hit on their way to a 4-1 win. Leo Lopez led the six-hit attack from his leadoff position with a pair of hits.

The Pioneers picked up where they left off in game one, jumping out to a 3-0 lead with one run in the first and two more in the second.

The fifth inning saw Toccoa Falls spoil the shutout bid with an unearned run to make it a 3-1 game. SMC got the run back and added its final run of the game on a sacrifice fly by Justin Dawkins.

SMC relievers Payton Gardner and Dylan Willis pitched the final two innings, allowing a hit apiece. Gardner picked up the win to even his record at 1-1, while Willis recorded his first collegiate save.

Next, SMC will host No. 4 Georgia Gwinnett on Tuesday at 4 p.m. for a Continental Athletic Conference matchup.