Rome Outduels Hub City Tuesday
Published on September 2, 2025 under South Atlantic League (SAL)
Hub City Spartanburgers News Release
SPARTANBURG, S.C. - With six games remaining, Hub City entered Tuesday needing just a handful of wins to secure a playoff berth. The Spartanburgers (32-29, 63-63) fell short in the series opener against Rome (26-32, 55-68) Tuesday, dropping a 3-2 final at Fifth Third Park. Casey Cook (21) and Dylan Dreiling (17) both continued lengthy on-base streaks with hits.
Dylan MacLean started off the night with a one-two-three first, finishing off the frame with back-to-back strikeouts. The Spartanburgers' southpaw escaped a two-runner jam in the second inning. With two away in the third, MacLean gave up a solo home run to Alex Lodise and Rome took a 1-0 lead. MacLean retired the final eight batters he faced en route to five innings of one run ball and five strikeouts.
Rome starter Cedric De Grandpre (W, 3-4) allowed a runner in each of the first four innings but was not fazed with runners on base. The right-hander stranded all four 'Burgers on first. In the fifth, Hub City finally cracked the code. A two-out single from Luke Hanson led to a gap-shot double from Dreiling to tie the game at one apiece.
After MacLean left the game, the Emperors jumped back in front against MiLB rehabber Marc Church (L, 0-1). Church is the first player with MLB service time to play for the Spartanburgers. Rome worked back-to-back singles with one out, then Keshawn Ogans poked a two-out single into right field to score both runners. The Emperors took a 3-1 lead into the bottom of the sixth.
Facing lefty Riley Frey, Casey Cook sparked a two-out bounce-back in the bottom of the sixth. Hub City's second baseman worked a walk, then Maxton Martin pounded a triple into the right field corner. Cook sped home from first and beat the throw to cut Rome's lead to 3-2.
The Spartanburgers got shutdown pitching the rest of the way from Case Matter and Mailon Felix. Frey rebounded for a pair of scoreless innings to reach the ninth. Trent Buchanan (S, 1) surrendered a leadoff single to Cook in the ninth, but a double play helped Rome escape with the win.
Hub City tries to break even on Wednesday at 6:35 p.m. ET. Hub City RHP Aidan Curry (3-2, 4.25 ERA) faces off against Rome RHP Luke Sinnard (2-3, 4.03 ERA).
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