Royals Split Doubleheader at Spartanburg Methodist
Game 1
Game 1
| Final | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | R | H | E |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Johnson (TN)
|
0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 6 | 1 |
|
Spartanburg Methodist
|
1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | X | 3 | 10 | 1 |
| Final | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | R | H | E |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Johnson (TN)
|
1 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 4 | 1 |
|
Spartanburg Methodist
|
1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 5 | 6 |
SPARTANBURG, SC– The Johnson baseball team hit the road for a doubleheader against Spartanburg Methodist on Wednesday, coming away with a split after a pair of tightly contested games. The Royals dropped Game 1 in a 3-2 heartbreaker before bouncing back with a 5-3 win in Game 2.
Game 1: Late Push Falls Short in 3-2 Loss
The Royals struggled to find offensive momentum early, falling behind 3-0 after four innings. Johnson finally broke through in the fifth when Travis Hobbensiefken drove in two runs to cut the deficit to one. However, Spartanburg Methodist's pitching held firm, and Johnson was unable to push across the tying run.
Hobbensiefken led the Royals at the plate, going 2-for-3 with both RBIs. Starting pitcher Nathan Hoffman (0-1) took the loss, allowing two runs over 2.2 innings. The bullpen trio of Eli Garrett and Kaleb Townsend kept the Royals within striking distance, allowing just one unearned run over 4.1 innings of relief.
Game 2: Royals Take Advantage of Early Miscues in 5-3 Victory
Johnson flipped the script in Game 2, jumping out to a 5-1 lead after two innings. A key RBI single from Braden Frank helped capitalize on several defensive mistakes by Spartanburg Methodist, who committed six errors. The Royals' aggressive baserunning also made an impact, with Edwin Olmeda Jr. swiping three bases.
On the mound, Colby Reynolds (1-0) earned the win with a strong 4.2-inning outing, striking out six while allowing just two earned runs. James Showalter closed the door in the seventh to pick up his first save of the season.
Head Coach Dave Serrano praised his team's resilience after the split.
"It wasn't the cleanest day for us, but we found a way to take Game 2 and respond after a tough loss," Serrano said. "I liked how our guys battled, especially on the mound and on the bases. There's still a lot we can improve on, but it's good to see us grind out wins on the road."
With the split, Johnson moves to 7-3 on the season. The Royals will look to build on their momentum as they head towards conference play.