SPARTANBURG, S.C. — The 15th-ranked Catawba Valley Community College baseball team lost a pair of close road games Wednesday night against Region 10 Division I Spartanburg Methodist.
The Red Hawks' record now stands at 8-5 overall on the season.
Game one: Spartanburg Methodist 4, Catawba Valley 2
A late rally by the Red Hawks came up short in a two-run loss to the Pioneers in game one of the set on Wednesday afternoon.
After Spartanburg Methodist took a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the first inning by scoring on a passed ball, Red Hawks designated hitter Colt Byars gave his team the lead in the bottom of the third inning on a two-run home run — his third of the season.
The Pioneers immediately answered, though, scoring two runs in the bottom of the third inning on an RBI double by left fielder Dosi Jonas and RBI single by catcher Tater Goodson to regain the lead, 3-2.
The Red Hawk bats struggled to muster offense and the tying run late in the game, going down in order during the fourth, fifth and sixth innings before powering through and making a comeback attempt in the top of the seventh inning.
Catawba Valley shortstop Jose Vargas led off the seventh inning with a single and center fielder Malik Stephens added a double to put the tying runs on second and third base.
However, Pioneers closer Aaron Copeland was able to force three-straight outs to preserve his team's victory.
Catawba Valley stranded seven runners on base in the contest, including four in scoring position.
Game two: Spartanburg Methodist 4, Catawba Valley 3 (nine innings)
After a back-and-forth battle during the game's closing innings, the Pioneers earned the walk-off victory in extra innings against the Red Hawks in game two of the set on Wednesday.
The Pioneers grabbed an early 2-0 lead through four innings, scoring on an Aaron Copeland RBI single in the second inning and an RBI groundout by Cam Mitchem in the bottom of the fourth inning.
Left fielder Jackson Brown put Catawba Valley on the scoreboard in the fifth inning, scoring on a passed ball to cut his team's deficit to 2-1.
Needing a run late, it was Byars' big bat that once again helped give Catawba Valley the late lead. His pinch-hit, two-RBI single scored catcher Jesse Harkey and first baseman Sabion Thomas to give the Red Hawks a 3-2 lead heading to the final half-inning.
Red Hawks relief pitcher Nic Roser was able to force two outs to start the bottom of the seventh inning, but a dropped fly ball hit by the Pioneers' Dosi Jonas on what would have been the third out to give CVCC the victory scored the tying run, sending the game into extra innings.
After a pair of 1-2-3 eighth innings by both teams, the Red Hawks once again had a chance to go ahead in the game in the top of the ninth inning.
Harkey's one-out double put two runners in scoring position with third baseman Grant Tilley on third base, but Catawba Valley once again could not capitalize to score either baserunner.
The Pioneers seized their opportunity in the bottom of the ninth inning. Second baseman Dayton Brune drew a two-out walk and advanced to second base on a passed ball, setting up Rome Wallace's two-out RBI single to left field that gave Spartanburg its walk-off win.
The CVCC baseball team will attempt to bounce back when it returns to action this weekend for a three-game conference series against Wake Tech (6-10, 2-4 in Region 10) at Henkel-Alley Field.
The Red Hawks (4-2 in Region play) and Eagles play one nine-inning and one seven-inning game on Saturday starting at 1 p.m. before concluding the series with a single nine-inning game on Sunday starting at noon.
