USC Sumter splits games with Florida-Jacksonville

From staff reports

The University of South Carolina Sumter baseball team went 1-1 against Florida State College of Jacksonville over the weekend at Riley Park.

The Fire Ants, who are now 6-7 on the season, defeated FSCJ 2-1 on Friday before dropping a 7-6 decision on Saturday. USC Sumter was scheduled to play Walters State College on Sunday, but the game was cancelled due to rain and wet field conditions.

In Friday's 9-inning contest, USC Sumter rode the 6-hit pitching of four different pitchers to the victory.

Daniel Twitty started for the Fire Ants, going five innings and allowing just one run. He struck out six, walked two and allowed four hits.

Sam Hunt relieved Twitty and pitched two innings to get the win. He struck out two and allowed just one hit.

Chandler Sox worked a scoreless eighth, and Tristen Campbell a scoreless ninth for his second save. He struck out two and didn't allow a hit.

Sumter managed only four hits. Kaleb Strader, Tyler Turner, Jakob Woods and Kyle Kalick each had a hit. Woods and Strader both scored runs, and Kalick had a run batted in.

The Blue Wave scored a run in the top of the second to go up 1-0. The Fire Ants matched it in the bottom of the inning and scored the winning run in the sixth.

In Saturday's contest, Sumter found itself in a 6-0 hole after 2 innings and couldn't make it back to pick up a win.

The Blue Wave scored a single run in the first, four in the second a run in the third to go up 6-0. The Fire Ants answered with four runs in the bottom of the third to cut the lead to two. FSCJ picked up a run in the fifth to go up 7-4. USCS added two runs in the sixth to cut the lead to one.

Sumter had eight hits, led by Tyler Peters with three. That included a double, a run and an RBI.

Tyler Mangum, Jonathan Jagielski and Lee Metts each had a double. Metts had a run and an RBI, while Mangum had a run and Jagielski an RBI.

Woods had a hit, a run and an RBI, while Payton Young had a hit and an RBI, and Vince Hanna scored two times.

Starter Jake Rife took the loss, falling to 0-2 on the season. He lasted 1-plus inning, giving up three runs. Hunter Garris worked two scoreless innings for Sumter.

USC Sumter is scheduled to play a doubleheader against Anderson University on Tuesday at Riley Park beginning at 3 p.m.

The Fire Ants play host to Junior College World Series team Monroe College in a doubleheader on Friday beginning at 3 p.m.