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Murphy’s Musings: McSwain, Magic and a Summer I’ll Never Forget
By Chase Murphy, Special to The Robesonian
SANFORD — My hands are still shaking as I type this. Not from the chill in the Sanford press box — although the damp breeze from that steady drizzle didn’t help — but from the way Dan McSwain just pitched his way into Red Springs history.
I’ve seen a lot of good ballplayers this summer covering the Red Robins. I’ve seen sluggers who can send one to the moon, infielders who can pick it clean on a bad hop, and outfielders who can run down anything with leather. But what McSwain did tonight… well, I started asking myself if this is what it felt like to watch the great ones from back in the day — Ruth, Paige, Gibson — back in the day. Not just because he pitched a complete game with the season on the line, but because he owned the moment. He was the moment.
From my seat, I could see the way he bore down when Sanford’s MVP, Andy Jensrud, stepped in during the ninth. I could see the faint grin when manager Elijah Crabtree came out for a chat and McSwain told him, “I train all year for moments like this. I feel great.” Then, one pitch later — bang — a double play, ball game over, and a dugout sprint I’ll replay in my head for years.
I’ve spent my whole summer chasing stories, burning the miles (and the transmission) in my 2015 Elantra, eating quick meals between deadlines (thank the Lord for Cook Out and Munchie Mike's!). I’ve seen this Red Springs team fight, claw and laugh their way through a season no one thought would end in a trip to the Golden Leaf Champions Cup. And tonight? Tonight I realized this has been the best summer of my life.
If you see me in Red Springs this week, don’t be surprised if I’m still grinning. We’ve got at least one more series to cover, and I get to ride shotgun with the team that’s made me believe anything is possible.
Oh, and maybe it’s the adrenaline talking, but I rode that postgame buzz right into something else. After the final out, I turned to the Sanford Herald’s intern — a cute redhead named Gretchen, a senior from App State who’s been sitting next to me for most of the past three games — and asked her out. She smiled and said yes. So yeah, folks… Red Springs isn’t the only one winning this week.
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