SMC Baseball Earns Post-Season Honors from CAC

SPARTANBURG, S.C. – Five members of the Spartanburg Methodist College baseball team — Travis Dannecker (starting pitcher), Carson Matthews (relief pitcher), Leo Lopez (extra infielder), Jarian Pinckney (outfielder), and Justin Dawkins (at-large) — earned First Team All-Continental Athletic Conference recognition, as conference officials announced postseason honors on Friday. Additionally, Justin Dawkins and Jarian Pinckney were named Freshman of the Year and Newcomer of the Year, respectively. Leo Lopez was also honored as a Champion of Character.

Dannecker enters the conference tournament with 14 appearances, posting a 5-2 record over 55 innings. He has recorded 39 strikeouts and holds a 3.60 ERA. Matthews, who has served as the Pioneers' closer, has earned four saves across 15 appearances, pitching 33.2 innings.

Pinckney boasts a .376 batting average over 46 games, with three home runs, 17 doubles, four triples, and 21 stolen bases. Lopez is batting .324 with two home runs, 31 runs scored, and 11 stolen bases. His 47 hits include eight doubles and five triples. Dawkins has a .373 average, tallying 56 hits, including six doubles, four triples, eight home runs, 34 RBIs, and 39 runs scored.