State scoreboard, Saturday, Jan. 28

Spartanburg Methodist coach Tim Wallace discusses the Pioneers' sweep of Roane State to open the season on Saturday at Mooneyham Field.
(Palmetto State Baseball video)

Tripp Brown retired the first 11
batters he faced (SMC photo)

Player of the day: Tripp Brown, Spartanburg Methodist, W, 4 IP, 0 H, 9 K

Freshman Tripp Brown struck out nine in four no-hit innings in Game 2 as Spartanburg Methodist completed a sweep of Roane State Saturday at Mooneyham Field to open its 2023 season.  The 6-4 win in the nightcap followed an 11-1 win in Game 1, which ended when the Pioneers scored four runs in the sixth to invoke the run rule.

Brown retired the first 11 batters he faced. He had some control issues in his final inning, but got his final strikeout of the day to leave with a 6-0 lead.  Roane State got a grand slam in the fifth from Joshua Sanchez Harris, but came no closer.

In the opener, Brandon Moser singled, homered and drove in four runs.  Baker Cox (four strikeouts)  and Ashton Phillips (five strikeouts) each allowed one hit over three innings.

Briefly: Will Dorrell was 5-for-9 with a double, a homer and seven RBI as Florence-Darlington Tech split a season-opening doubleheader with Bryant & Stratton. Bryant and Stratton scored three runs in the top of the ninth and held on to win the opener. The host Stingers rallied from a 4-1 deficit to gain the split ... No. 2 Walters State completed sweep of USC Salkehatchie with a pair of wins. The Senators scored 56 runs in three games as they ran their winning streak over the Indians to 23 games. 

Bryant & Stratton 8, Florence-Darlington Tech 7, 9 innings, Game 1 - Flo: Dylan Johnson 4-4, 2B, R
Florence-Darlington Tech 8, Bryant & Stratton 6, Game 2 - Flo: Rio Foster 2 2B, R, RBI
Spartanburg Methodist 11, Roane State 1, 6 innings, Game 1 - Spa: Brady Jeffcoat 3-3, 2 R, 2 RBI
Spartanburg Methodist 6, Roane State 4, Game 2 - Spa: Larson Scholtz 3-4, 2B, RBI
Walters State 16, USC Salkehatchie 0, Game 1 - Sal: Cole Montgomery: 1B
Walters State 18, USC Salkehatchie 4, Game 2 - Sal: Jalen Raysor 1B, BB, 2 R
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