Bulls Break Through, Edge Robins in Game 3 Pitcher’s Duel
Angier-Fuquay Springs hands Red Springs ace Dan McSwain his first loss. Yikes!
Chase Murphy | The Robesonian Summer Intern | Aug. 17, 2025
ANGIER — Okay, so, I’m trying to breathe here. The Red Springs Red Robins are still up 2-1 in the Golden Leaf Champions Cup.
Still up. But man, after tonight, it doesn’t feel like it.
Our ace,
Dan McSwain, the guy who’s been lights-out all year (9-0 season, 2-0 post-season, 1.66 ERA), finally looked mortal. It was 0-0 into the eighth, the kind of tense game where you just know one mistake will decide it.
Then McSwain walked
Joe Beach — first batter of the inning. He fought through it, got two outs, and even waved off manager Elijah Crabtree on a mound visit like he’s done all season. "I've yet to even break a sweat," he's fond of saying in these high-stakes moments. That’s our guy. That’s McSwain.
Except this time, he didn’t get the stop. Lefty leadoff
Matt Maxwell punched a two-out single up the middle, Beach slid home, and suddenly the Robins armor had cracks. Just like that.
We had no answer.
Josh Poole was incredible for the Bulls — eight innings, three hits, zero runs — and
Chris Parlato slammed the door in the ninth. Our bats, so hot in Games 1 and 2, went ice cold. Only three hits all night.
So here we are. What felt like a cruise to the Cup after that 9-run eighth in Game 1 now feels like a knife fight. The Bulls, the No. 10 seed Bulls, have life. And if I’m being honest, I’m nervous.
Tomorrow night is Game 4 in Angier. The series lead is still ours, but momentum? I’m not so sure anymore. Man, why do I have a bad feeling...