Drive Fall to Spartanburgers 16-8 Despite Early Leads
SAL Greenville Drive

Drive Fall to Spartanburgers 16-8 Despite Early Leads

Published on April 26, 2025 under South Atlantic League (SAL)
Greenville Drive News Release


SPARTANBURG, S.C. - The Greenville Drive built a pair of early leads but couldn't slow down the Hub City Spartanburgers' offense on Friday night, falling 16-8 at Fifth Third Park.

Greenville (8-11) took a 1-0 lead in the first inning when Zach Ehrhard delivered a two-out RBI single to score Nazzan Zanetello. After Hub City briefly tied it, the Drive answered with a four-run third inning, sparked by another RBI single from Ehrhard and run-scoring hits from Nelly Taylor and Brooks Brannon. Greenville surged ahead 5-2, but the lead quickly unraveled.

Darvin Garcia (0-1) took the loss after surrendering seven runs in a disastrous third inning, capped by a grand slam off the bat of Keith Jones II. Garcia allowed three hits and three walks in just one inning of work, as the Spartanburgers turned a 5-2 deficit into a 9-5 advantage.

Despite a brief rally in the fifth - where Miguel Bleis singled and scored on a Marvin Alcantara base hit to cut the gap to 9-6 - Greenville's bats cooled while Hub City kept piling on. The Spartanburgers (12-8) put the game out of reach with a second grand slam, this time from Dylan Dreiling in the sixth, and added three more runs across the seventh and eighth innings.

Zach Ehrhard led the Drive at the plate, finishing 2-for-3 with three RBIs, a walk, and a stolen base. Taylor chipped in two hits, two RBIs, and a walk from the DH spot, while Bleis added two singles and his third stolen base of the season.

The Drive were active on the bases, swiping four bags - with Zanetello, Taylor, Ehrhard, and Bleis each recording a steal - but they struggled with timely hitting, leaving seven runners on base and going 6-for-15 with runners in scoring position.

Starting pitcher Jedixson Paez allowed two runs over 1.2 innings before exiting due to an apparent injury. Garcia, Cooper Adams, Isaac Stebens, and Albert Feliz combined to finish the night for Greenville, but the staff issued 12 walks and hit four batters in a rough showing.

Hub City collected just 11 hits but capitalized on Drive mistakes and drew free passes to fuel their offensive explosion. Jones II and Dreiling combined for nine RBIs, and third baseman Gleider Figuereo added a homer, a double, and two RBIs for the Spartanburgers.

Greenville scored twice in the ninth to add some late life - Yophery Rodriguez and Taylor each crossed the plate - but the deficit proved too large.

The Drive will look to bounce back Sunday in the final game of the series.

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South Atlantic League Stories from April 26, 2025


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