'Burgers Fall Friday in Asheville
Published on May 15, 2026 under South Atlantic League (SAL)
Hub City Spartanburgers News Release
ASHEVILLE, N.C. - Hub City struck first Friday night, taking a 1-0 lead in the top of the first, but Asheville dropped the hammer shortly after. The Tourists (9-28) beat the 'Burgers (19-17) 23-11.
Asheville scored six runs in the bottom of the first against Hub City starter Joe Adametz (L, 2-3), and 17 runs over the first three innings. The Spartanburgers had to use six pitchers, including infielder Theo Hardy, to complete the ballgame.
After Rafe Perich scored on a throwing error in the top of the first, six straight Tourists scored to begin the bottom of the first. Justin Thomas Jr. led off the inning with a solo homer against Adametz, followed by a pair of doubles, a ground ball which resulted in a pair of errors and a two-run blast. After facing eight batters, Adametz was lifted from the game. Josh Sanders finished the first inning.
Hub City was held off the board afterwards by Asheville right-hander Parker Smith (W, 2-2). He did not allow another run through six innings. Sanders allowed seven runs in 1 2/3 innings, Mailon Felix gave up four runs in 1 1/3 and Luke Savage ceded six in 1 1/3. All of the runs were earned.
Offensively, the 'Burger bats came alive in the eighth. Malcolm Moore led off the inning with a solo homer over the 36-foot wall in right field. Three walks and three hits later, Hub City plated five total runs in the eighth. A repeat performance occurred in the ninth. Paxton Kling smacked his second homer in two days to start the inning, followed by three hits, two walks, a hit batter and five total runs. The late runs weren't enough to put much of a dent in Asheville's lead, which stood at 22 prior to the eighth.
The back end of the Spartanburgers' bullpen finally turned off the faucet. Cole Stasio entered in the bottom of the sixth and kept Asheville off the scoreboard through the seventh. Hardy lobbed in eephus pitches and induced three flyouts in the bottom of the eighth.
Leading three games to one in the series, Hub City calls on Ismael Agreda (0-2, 5.33 ERA) to start Saturday's matchup with Asheville. The Tourists' scheduled starter is right-hander Dylan Howard (0-0, 7.82 ERA). First pitch is slated for 6:05 p.m. ET.
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