Hub City Wins Marathon Battle for I-85 Rivalry, Claims First Place
SAL Hub City Spartanburgers

Hub City Wins Marathon Battle for I-85 Rivalry, Claims First Place

Published on August 24, 2025 under South Atlantic League (SAL)
Hub City Spartanburgers News Release


SPARTANBURG, S.C. - The Drive and Spartanburgers repped special jerseys honoring the Greenville Black Spinners and Spartanburg Sluggers on Sunday in a Salute to the Negro Leagues game. In a marathon that lasted over three and a half hours, the Spartanburgers (28-26, 59-60) outlasted the Drive (27-27, 60-60) for a 9-8 win.

The victory secure Hub City's place as the best team in the Upstate. The Spartanburgers hold a 13-1 1 season record against the Drive. The win also clears Hub City above Greenville by a game in the South Atlantic League South Division standings.

Neither team's starting pitcher made it out of the first inning, paving the way for a big day for both offenses. Dylan Dreiling paced the 'Burgers with 3 RBIs, including a two-run home run.

Hub City starter Kolton Curtis walked the first four batters of the game. After a groundout from Freili Encarnacion, Curtis walked another batter and was taken out of the game. Adrian Rodriguez took over on the bump. After a single from Hudson White, Rodriguez notched a pair of strikeouts to hold the Drive to three runs in the first.

Drive starter Austin Ehrlicher was lifted just two pitches into the bottom of the first with an apparent throwing hand injury. Adam Smith entered and worked around a walk to hang a zero on the scoreboard.

Rodriguez settled in for a pair of one-two-three innings. The Spartanburgers cut into the lead with RBI doubles from Antonis Macias in the second and Gleider Figuereo in the third. Victor Simeon tossed a clean fourth inning for Hub City.

Erik Rivera got the call out of the Drive bullpen in the bottom of the fourth. He walked each of the first two batters. They moved into scoring position and scored on a balk and a wild pitch to give the Spartanburgers their first lead of the game. Cal Stark kept the inning going with a single, and Dreiling followed it with his 10th homer of the season.

Greenville scratched across a run in the fifth with an Encarnacion RBI single, but Simeon left the bases loaded to preserve a two-run lead. After the Spartanburgers went down in order for the first time all afternoon in the bottom of the fifth, Kai Wynyard entered to pitch the sixth.

Two of the first three Drive batters walked against Wynyard. Nelly Taylor drove in a run with a single, and Yophery Rodriguez tripled in two runs to give the Drive the lead. Rodriguez scored on a sacrifice fly before the inning was over, and Greenville carried an 8-6 lead into the bottom of the sixth.

Rivera allowed a double and a walk to Martin and Ben Hartl, the first two batters of the bottom of the sixth. Danny Kirwin entered to pitch for Greenville; Macias laid down a sacrifice bunt to push the two runners ahead 90 feet. Hub City got both runners in on a single from Stark and a groundout from Dreiling.

Adonis Villavicencio (W, 4-3) stranded a runner in scoring position in both the seventh and the eighth. The Spartanburgers stranded the bases loaded in the bottom of the seventh, keeping the game tied. Stark was hit by a pitch to start the bottom of the eighth. New addition Luke Hanson ran for Stark. Dreiling flied out to left field, ending the day on the mound for Kirwin.

Hanson stole second immediately against new reliever Jonathan Brand. An infield single from Paxton Kling put runners at the corners, and a Figuereo groundout brought Hanson home to give Hub City a one-run lead. Mailon Felix (S, 2) hit a batter in the ninth but retired the other three batters he faced to secure the win.

Hub City has 12 games remaining to hold onto first place and clinch a SAL playoff spot. Next, the 'Burgers head to McCormick Field to face the Asheville Tourists, the High-A affiliate of the Astros. Hub City and Asheville split a six-game series at the beginning of the month. First pitch of the series opener Tuesday is scheduled for 6:35 p.m. ET.

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South Atlantic League Stories from August 24, 2025


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