Pioneers Rout Truett McConnell, 11-1 in Seven Innings

SPARTANBURG, S.C. – An eight-run third inning sparked an 11-1 rout by the Spartanburg Methodist College baseball team over Truett McConnell on Wednesday.

The Pioneers (12-21), who have won nine games at the friendly confines of Mooneyham Field, broke the scoreless tie in the inning. SMC sent 12 batters to the plate, scoring eight runs on five hits. The big hit of the inning was a three-RBI triple by Jarian Pinckney. A misplayed ball by the Bears in right field brought in two more runs for SMC.

Pinckney finished the day with two hits and three RBIs. Cleanup hitter Dario Astudillo went 3-for-4 with two runs scored and two RBIs, while right fielder Justin Dawkins also collected three hits in the win.

After scoring eight in the third, SMC plated its final three runs in the bottom of the seventh. Astudillo led off the inning with a solo home run. Parker Winfield then hit a triple to the gap in right-center field and came around to score on a double by Chance Greene. With two outs, Dawkins drove in pinch-runner Tanner Martin from second to end the contest.

TMU scored its lone run in the sixth. The Bears plated their run on their only hit of the day—a double by Caleb Adair.

SMC pitchers Cole Montgomery, Carson Glenn, and Landon O'Brien held TMU to just one hit while striking out five. Montgomery, who got the start, picked up the win after retiring 12 straight batters during his stint on the mound.

Next, SMC will travel to Carolina (N.C.) for a three-game series in Winston-Salem. The Bruins and the Pioneers will open the series with a 4 p.m. matchup on Friday, March 28.