SMC overtakes Fire Ants for Region X lead

SPARTANBURG – The University of South Carolina Sumter baseball fell out of first place in NJCAA Region X as it was swept in a doubleheader by Spartanburg Methodist College on Sunday at Mooneyham Field.

SMC won the opener 6-0 before taking the nightcap 9-5.

The Fire Ants dropped to 32-16 overall and 16-8 region play. SMC, which won the series 3-1 to move into first, improved to 34-15 overall and 17-7 in the region.

In the opener, the Pioneers’ Ridge Chapman, 6-2, tossed a 1-hit shutout. He struck out nine and walked two.

Fred Wadsworth had the only hit for Sumter.

Starter Tyler Bialeschki took the loss. He walked five and allowed three hits in 21/3 innings. He was charged with four runs even though just one was earned.

In the nightcap, Spartanburg jumped out to a 5-1 lead and put the game away with a 4-run fifth.

Dillon Heffner had three hits, a run and a run batted in to lead USCS. Wadsworth had two hits, a run and an RBI and Mickey Dugan had two hits. Tee Dubose had a hit and RBI.

Georgia 5

USC 3

ATHENS, Ga. – Georgia hit back-to-back home runs in the eighth inning to defeat South Carolina 5-3 on Sunday at Foley Field and win the Southeastern Conference series.

USC fell to 29-8 overall and 11-4 in the SEC, leaving it in a tie for first place with Florida. The Bulldogs improved to 20-17 and 6-9.

Louisville 9

Clemson 8

LOUISVILLE, KY. - Corey Ray’s walkoff double with two outs in the ninth scored Colin Lyman from second base and lifted Louisville to a 9-8 victory over Clemson on Sunday at Jim Patterson Stadium.

Clemson fell to 24-12 overall and 8-10 in the Atlantic Coast Conference. Louisville improved to 29-7 and 13-5 with the series sweep.

Sumter’s Maleeke Gibson played for the Tigers, going 1-for-2 with two walks, two runs and a sacrifice.

Wofford 10

Citadel 8

SPARTANBURG – Wofford completed a sweep of The Citadel with a 10-8 win on Sunday at Russell C. King Field.

The Bulldogs dropped to 13-23 on the season and 3-6 in the Southern Conference. Wofford improved to 21-11 and 5-7.

William Kinney scored a run and had an RBI for The Citadel.

Raptors 98

Pacers 87

TORONTO — Jonas Valanciunas had 23 points and 15 rebounds, Kyle Lowry had 18 points, nine assists and seven rebounds and the Toronto Raptors beat the Indiana Pacers 98-87 on Monday night, snapping their postseason losing streak at seven games.

The Raptors had not won a playoff game since April 30, 2014 against Brooklyn.

Corey Joseph scored 16 points, Patrick Patterson added 14 and DeMar DeRozan had 10 as the Raptors evened the first-round series at 1-1.

Heat 123

Hornets 91

MIAMI — Luol Deng scored 31 points on 11-for-13 shooting, Hassan Whiteside added 21 points and 11 rebounds in his postseason debut, and the Miami Heat wasted no time taking control of what became a 123-91 victory over the Charlotte Hornets on Sunday in Game 1 of their Eastern Conference first-round series.

Miami scored 41 points in the first quarter to tie one franchise playoff record, set another with the 123 points topping the 121 in the 2012 finals clincher against Oklahoma City and never trailed.

From staff, wire reports