Hometown star pitches gem, Red Springs cruises past Angier-Fuquay Springs
Jake Ryker makes most of opportunity as emergency starter
Chase Murphy | Summer Intern | The Robesonian | July 20, 2025
You can't get much more local than Red Springs pitcher
Jake Ryker.
Born here. Raised here. Dad owns Ryker Hardware on Main Street. Played three sports for Red Springs High. Homecoming King. Married his high school sweetheart. Returned to Red Springs after four years at Appalachian State. Volunteer pitching coach for the Red Springs High baseball program the past couple of seasons in addition to running his own landscape business, Ryker's Red Springs Lawn Care.
When news broke that Red Springs would field a team in the relaunch of the Tobacco State League this summer, the whole town was pulling for Ryker to earn a spot on the squad. If for nothing else, for nostalgia's sake.
He was the Red Robins' 35th and final pick in the TSL inaugural draft, more of a tribute to his history in the town than a nod to his pitching abilities at age 27.
Ryker turned heads when he threw two scoreless innings in a public intrasquad scrimmage in mid-May. But he had a hard time sticking on the active roster once regular season games began. A few relief appearances, including a dreadful showing filled with walks and an ERA ballooning over 20.00 sent him to the reserve roster in late May.
"I kept working on my craft, but I wasn't that worried," Ryker said. "It's just been fun being around this team ... and I still had a lot of yards to mow."
With Red Springs down multiple starters and relievers heading into its final series of the regular season at Angier-Fuquay Springs, the Robins turned to their hometown hero to fill out Sunday's lineup card. His first career start.
Ryker did walk five batters and gave up an early run -- "It was so humid, I had a tough time gripping the ball" -- but otherwise did everything asked of him for five innings. The Red Springs offense did its part to protect its starter,
and the Robins soared to an 8-1 victory.
Ryker's final stat line: 5.0 IP, 96 pitches, 5 hits allowed, 1 ER, 5 walks, 4 Ks --
and a two-out RBI single that gave Red Springs an early 2-1 lead it would never relinquish. "I wasn't much of a hitter in high school, so that might have been my favorite part of the game," a smiling Ryker said afterward.
Red Springs pounded out 15 hits on the day to earn a rare comfortable victory. Outfielder
Justin Stubbs went 2-for-4 with a triple, a double and three RBIs. Fellow outfielder
Bruce Browning had three hits and an RBI. Young first baseman
Ricky Borruso earned two hits and played great defense on a day when coaches wanted to rest regular starter Steve Bowser.
Red Robins relievers? Perfect over four innings.
Bob Hoyle (2.0 IP),
Miguel Garcia (1.0 IP) and the recently signed
Pat Roles (1.0 IP) did not surrender a hit or a walk.
Red Springs pulls within one game -- again! -- of the league lead with two games to play. Regardless of how the next two days -- or the rest of the season -- turn out, Ryker will always have this impressive day to add to his legacy.
Tobacco State League Scoreboard | Sunday, July 20, 2025
Red Springs 8, Angier-Fuquay Springs 1
Clinton 7, Sanford 6 (!)
Warsaw 6, Whiteville 5 (!!)
Lumberton 4, Rockingham 0
Dunn-Erwin 6, Smithfield-Selma 1
Tobacco State League Standings | Two Games To Play!!!
Sanford 30-22
Warsaw 30-22
Red Springs 29-23
Whiteville 28-24
Clinton 27-25
Lumberton 27-25
Dunn-Erwin 24-28
Angier-Fuquay Springs 22-30
Rockingham 22-30
Smithfield-Selma 21-31
Next Game
Red Springs at Angier-Fuquay Springs
Monday, July 21, 2025 | 7:05 p.m.
RED: Probable starter Dave Colvin (2-2, 3.66 ERA)
ANG: Josh Poole (4-4, 3.25 ERA)