The Tobacco State League: A Summer With the Red Springs Red Robins

[AZTarHeel]

A grainy black and white of Red Springs' minor league team (an affiliate of the Twins) from the late 1960s, courtesy of The Robesonian archives.

Red Springs: A Town That’s Always Loved Its Baseball

Chase Murphy | Summer Intern | The Robesonian

When the playoffs Friday night, the Red Springs Red Robins will chase their first Tobacco State League title in nearly 80 years.

That’s not a typo.

Red Springs, North Carolina, was once home to a Class D level minor league team — the original Red Robins — who played in the post-WWII version of the Tobacco State League from 1947 to 1950. Those years still hold a special place in the town’s history.

Affiliated with the Philadelphia Athletics, the Robins played in a cozy mill-owned ballpark called Robbins Park, tucked near what is now State Highway 72. The grandstand held 2,500, and on a summer night, nearly every one of those seats was filled.

After a rocky debut in 1947, manager Red Norris guided the Robins to back-to-back championships in 1948 and 1949, making Red Springs a two-time champ in just four years of league play. In those days, small-town North Carolina packed stadiums with patriotic pride and post-war energy — in 1949 alone, Red Springs drew over 33,000 fans to Robbins Park. The team played hard, scrapped harder and built a legacy of blue-collar success.

The TSL itself was part of a boom in low-level pro baseball leagues across the South after the war. These were towns like Smithfield, Erwin, Warsaw, and Dunn, many of which fielded teams with names like the Leafs, Twins and Red Sox. But in Red Springs, it was the Red Robins who soared above them all twice.

The original Tobacco State League folded after 1950, and although Red Springs briefly enjoyed one more season of pro ball in 1969 with a Minnesota Twins affiliate, it didn’t last. No minor league team has called the town home since.

Until this summer.

Today’s version of the Red Robins wears the name and legacy proudly. And as they wait to take the field again in the modern-day Tobacco State League playoffs, the echoes of Robbins Park — the crack of the bat, the roar of a mill-town crowd — aren’t so far away.

[AZTarHeel]

McSwain Dazzles, Bats Bash Leafs as Robins Roll in Game One

By Chase Murphy | Summer Intern (and Unapologetic Homer) | The Robesonian

RED SPRINGS — Look, I try to keep it professional. But when your hometown boys absolutely hammer a playoff opponent in front of 5,000+ standing-room-only fans on a Friday night, objectivity goes out the window.

Red Springs 11, Smithfield-Selma 0.

Statement made.

Dan McSwain? Unhittable. The ace righty didn’t just pitch, he dealt — 7 innings, 9 Ks, no walks, and the Leafs looked like they were swinging blindfolded at his curve. And the Robins offense? Ruthless. Justin Stubbs hit a moonshot. Steve Bowser followed suit. Danny Abell racked up four hits like it was tee-ball. Even the pinch-runners scored.

Let’s just say this: if Smithfield-Selma thought they were going to sneak into Robbins Stadium and steal one from the No. 1 seed, they were sorely mistaken.

“It felt electric tonight,” McSwain said postgame, ice on his arm, smile on his face. “We'll kick back and enjoy this win — then come right back at 'em tomorrow.”

Game Two is Saturday night, same place. Same crowd? Probably. Same result? We’ll see — but the Leafs better bring more than six singles and a prayer.

Robins lead the best-of-five, 1-0.
And from the look of it, they don’t plan on stopping anytime soon.

Quick Stats:
Red Springs Red Robins (W):
Dan McSwain – 7.0 IP, 5 H, 0 R, 9 K, 0 BB
J. Stubbs – 2-for-4, HR, 4 RBI
S. Bowser – 2-for-5, HR, 3 RBI
D. Abell – 4-for-5, 3B, 3 RBI
C. Wreede – 2-for-2, RBI, 2 BB, 2 R
B. Browning – 2-for-4, 2B, R

Smithfield-Selma Leafs (L):
B. Pinnell – 2-for-4
R. Diego, C. Savine, E. Kimball, M. Mowery – 1 hit each
T. Carlson – 0-for-4, 3 K

Team left 5 on base, struck out 11 times

Tobacco State League Scoreboard | Quarterfinals | Aug. 1, 2025
Sanford 5, Clinton 2 - Sanford leads 1-0
Lumberton 4, Warsaw 1 - Lumberton leads 1-0
Angier-Fuquay Springs 1, Whiteville 0 - Angier-FS leads 1-0

NOTES: Angier-Fuquay Springs is the No. 10 seed, and Whiteville is the No. 2 ... The Bulls scored their lone run in the fifth, an RBI double from Steven Palmer ... Josh Poole pitched eight innings of four-hit shutout ball for the win...

[AZTarHeel]

Game 2 Gut Punch: Red Springs Drops Lead, Series Tied 1–1

Robbins Stadium | Saturday, August 2

The Tobacco State League quarterfinals just got spicy. A raucous Red Springs crowd of 5,494 watched in stunned silence as the Smithfield-Selma Leafs mounted a late rally to steal Game 2, 4–2, and tie the series at one apiece.

Starter Luke Restivo had the Robins cruising with a 2–0 lead into the 8th. He went 7 strong innings, scattering 7 hits and striking out 4 on 100 pitches. But the bullpen unraveled, giving up 4 runs over the final two innings.

Smithfield-Selma’s Tom Ferrara earned Player of the Game honors with 7 innings of two-run ball, and fan-favorite Ricky Diego drove in the go-ahead run in the top of the 9th on a clutch bases-loaded walk.

“Winning the game is always the first objective,” Ferrara said postgame. “Tonight was just about grinding.”

Robins Bullpen Meltdown — Again
Red Springs relievers Bob Hoyle, Pat Roles, and Dane O’Farrell faced 11 total batters and allowed 4 hits, 3 walks, and 2 earned runs. The inherited runner disaster? Three of four inherited runners scored. Managerial headache: confirmed.

By The Numbers

• Luke Restivo: 7.0 IP, 7 H, 2 ER, 0 BB, 4 K — 100 pitches
• Ken Rogers: 2-run HR in the 6th, his first of the postseason
• Steve Bowser & Chris Wreede: Each went 1-for-4
• Red Springs LOB: just 3 — missed chances

• R. Diego: 2-for-4, 2 RBI including the game-winner
• T. Ferrara: 7.0 IP, 1 HR allowed, just 1 walk
• J. Cervantes: perfect 2-inning save — 6 batters up, 6 down
• Leafs: 11 hits, 3 doubles, 3 walks

Chase Murphy’s Notebook
"This place was loud until it wasn’t. Restivo was brilliant, the bullpen was brittle, and now we’re heading to Legion Park in Smithfield for a pivotal Game 3. Let’s be honest — if the Red Robins don’t come out swinging Monday, this dream season might be on the brink."

Tobacco State League | Playoff Scoreboard | Best of 5
Smithfield-Selma 4, Red Springs 2 - Series tied 1-1
Angier-Fuquay Springs 5, Whiteville 4 - Angier-FS leads 2-0 (wow, can the No. 10 sweep the No. 2 seed?)
Sanford 4, Clinton 1 - Sanford leads 2-0
Warsaw 5, Lumberton 3 - Series tied 1-1

[AZTarHeel]

Red Springs' season on the brink
Smithfield-Selma beats Red Robins 5-2, now one win away from knocking out the top seed

By Chase Murphy | The Robesonian Summer Intern | Monday, Aug. 4

The bad inning strikes again. Just like in Game 2, it was one crooked frame — this time the 7th — that turned a tight contest into another late-inning gut punch. Red Springs led 1–1 into the 7th, and then…

Smithfield-Selma double.
Single.
Walk.
BOOM! Mike Mowery with the go-ahead single.
Ricky Diego with a 2-out double to break it open.

Brent Duffy (Leafs) was nails: 7 IP, 6 H, 1 ER, 0 BB, 4 K.
Josh Stubbs (Red Robins) went 4-for-4 with a double and 2 steals… and it still wasn’t enough.

Let’s recap:
Game 1: McSwain masterpiece, Robins win.
Game 2: Late-inning meltdown, Robins lose 4–2.
Game 3: One bad inning, offense stalls, Robins lose 5–2.
Series: Smithfield-Selma leads 2–1.

Game 4 is Tuesday. It’s win or go home for Red Springs, something that is unfathomable to believe after the way the team surged in July. Did the Robins' lose their emotional edge after such a dramatic final night of the regular season, claiming the regular season trophy?

The air in Legion Park wasn’t just cold tonight — it was heavy. Like a curse waiting to happen. Red Springs played tight, like a team afraid to lose instead of hungry to win. And the Leafs, a franchise most expected in May to be in contention? They looked like they had nothing to lose… and everything to gain.”

What Red Springs Needs in Game 4:
Ace Dan McSwain has to pitch, right? He would go on short rest for the first time this season but does the team have any other choice? There is no tomorrow if game four goes south.

• Stubbs, Wreede, Rogers and Browning must produce at the plate.
• The defense must be sharp - no room for miscues or mental lapses.
• The bullpen can't collapse during a key stretch in the late innings.

I don't want this summer to end yet! Let's hope Red Springs players feel the same way tomorrow night.

[AZTarHeel]

🚨 It's Do or Die: Red Springs will turn to unbeaten ace Dan McSwain (9-0) on short rest for Game 4 on Tuesday night, manager Elijah Crabtree announced after Monday's playoff loss.

Early indications are that Smithfield-Selma will roll with No. 4 starter Adam Camp (2-2, 5.13 ERA). Red Springs has already seen Camp once this series, earning two hits and scoring two runs in a relief appearance in game one.

The Red Robins must win or their season is over.
⚾ First pitch: 8:05 PM at Legion Park

Tobacco State League Scoreboard | Monday, Aug. 5
Smithfield-Selma 5, Red Springs 2 -- Leafs lead series 2-1
Sanford 2, Clinton 0 -- Spinners win series 3-0
Whiteville 4, Angier-Fuquay Springs 2 -- Angier-FS leads series 2-1
Warsaw 7, Lumberton 4 -- Warsaw leads series 2-1

Sanford will play the winner of the Smithfield-Selma vs. Red Springs series

[AZTarHeel]

Red Robins Survive: McSwain Guts It Out, Stubbs Sparks Rally

By Chase Murphy | The Robesonian Summer Intern | Tuesday, Aug. 5, 2025

SMITHFIELD — I chewed through two pencils. Maybe three.

I’m not sure. I blacked out sometime between Dan McSwain’s 83rd pitch and Mario Sanchez barely beating a throw home for an important insurance run in the top of the ninth. Thank God for sub-par catchers! I think I screamed. I know I ran to the press box bathroom at one point in the night to vomit. I wish I were kidding.

Red Springs is alive. Barely.

The Red Robins are still flapping after a 4–3, edge-of-your-soul victory over Smithfield-Selma on Tuesday night that sent their quarterfinal series to a winner-take-all Game 5. I’ve covered some wild games this summer, but none where I paced like a nervous parent and watched my scorebook slowly turn to a tear-stained disaster.

Let’s talk about the man of the hour first:
Dan McSwain. The ace. The ironman. The only pitcher whose name could be uttered with hope and not fear going into this must-win Game 4. Short rest? Whatever. The guy looked like he was forged in pressure.

He went 5.2 innings, gave up just three hits, struck out six and kept the Robins breathing when the offense forgot bats were legal for the first seven innings.

"He's the backbone," said manager Elijah Crabtree. “There’s no one else I want in that moment. He’s our guy.”

The turning point?
Top of the eighth. Down 1–0. Suddenly, like a flicker of summer lightning, everything changed.

• Chris Wreede’s double.
• Steve Bowser’s RBI single.
• Justin Stubbs’ go-ahead base knock.
• And finally, everyone's favorite, the sac fly courtesy of pinch-hitter John Griffis.

3–1 Red Springs. I definitely hit my knee on the underside of the desk. The scribbles in my notes say “IT'S ABOUT FREAKING TIME!”

The Robins tacked on one more in the ninth — needed it, too — because Smithfield-Selma refused to die. Back-to-back solo bombs from Leafs hitters Jared Cecala and Bryce Pinnell turned a two-run cushion into a cardiac episode.

When closer Juan Hartman K'd Lilian Miller to end it, I just sat there.

Quiet. Still. Pencils nothing but saw dust. Mouth dry. Eyes twitching.

I’ll be honest: I thought we were cooked. Smithfield-Selma had the momentum, swagger and nothing to lose. But Red Springs — even tight, nervous, tense Red Springs — found a way.

They didn’t dominate. They didn’t dance. They just survived.

Game 5 is tomorrow.

Back to the familiar confines of The Nest, Robbins Stadium. One more chance to keep this story — and my summer internship — alive.

And yes, I’ve already stocked up on pencils and will be buying a large bottle of Pepto.

[AZTarHeel]

Tobacco State League Scoreboard | Playoff Quarterfinals | Aug. 5

Red Springs 4, Smithfield-Selma 3 - Series tied 2-2
--> Winner plays Sanford in the semifinals
Whiteville 2, Angier-Fuquay Springs 1 - Series tied 2-2
Lumberton 8, Warsaw 7 (10 innings) - Series tied 2-2

All three Game 5s will be Wednesday, Aug. 6

Red Springs looks to be pitching No. 4 starter Shane D'Ovidio (6-4, 3.71). This will be his first post-season appearance. Smithfield-Selma has announced it will give the ball to Eric Kimball, a curious choice considering the Red Robins knocked him around in an 11-0 victory in Game 1.

[AZTarHeel]

Red Springs Survives, Advances to Semis on Abell’s Sac Fly

By Chase Murphy | Summer Intern | The Robesonian | Aug. 6, 2025

RED SPRINGS — It took 3 hours and 42 minutes, 13 stranded runners, seven stolen bases, five relievers and one sac fly, but the Red Springs Red Robins are heading to the Tobacco State League semifinals.

With the bases loaded and one out in the bottom of the ninth, third baseman Danny Abell — already 0-for-1 in bases-loaded situations that night — delivered the most anticlimactic, most glorious swing of the season. On an 0-2 pitch, he lifted a line drive deep enough to center to score Steve Bowser from third and send Red Springs to a 3-2 walk-off win over Smithfield-Selma in Game 5 of the quarterfinals.

“It doesn’t show up as a hit,” Abell said afterward, still catching his breath, “but I don’t care. I’ll take it every time.”

The Red Robins trailed 2-0 early and spent the night chasing down Ricky Diego, who had three doubles and an RBI for the Leafs, setting a new league playoff record. But the Red Springs bullpen — stretched beyond its comfort zone — held the line.

George Youngblood gave Red Springs a gutsy start, and manager Elijah Crabtree played the matchup game to perfection, rolling out Shane D’Ovidio, Bob Hoyle, Bill Lane and finally Dane O’Farrell, who threw a perfect top of the ninth to keep the game tied.

At the plate, Justin Stubbs continued his MVP-caliber run with two hits, two walks and three more stolen bases, giving him five in the series. Bowser doubled with one out in the ninth, Stubbs was intentionally walked, and Browning legged out an infield single to set up Abell’s redemption.

“We probably didn’t deserve to win with all the runners we left on base,” Crabtree admitted, “but we found a way. That’s what matters in the playoffs.”

Red Springs will now face the Sanford Spinners, who swept the Clinton Blues in their quarterfinal matchup. Game 1 is scheduled for Friday, Aug. 8, and the Robins will need rest — and maybe a little more magic.

Stat Pack: Quirky Numbers & Key Notes
Final Score:
Red Springs 3, Smithfield-Selma 2
Red Springs wins series 3–2

KEY STATS
13 LOB (Red Springs) – somehow still won!
7 stolen bases – Rogers (3), Stubbs (3), Wilkinson (1)
Smithfield Errors – 3 (E1, E5, E8) — all led to momentum shifts
Ricky Diego’s 3 doubles – playoff record
Bowser’s 9th-inning double – set up the winning run
Stubbs' Series Totals: .450 AVG, 6 RBI, 5 SB, 4 R — Series MVP
Total Time: 3:42
Attendance: 5,407

Weird + Wild:
Smithfield caught stealing twice, both in scoring position
Red Springs had runners on in 8 of 9 innings
2 ABs for Abell with the bases loaded: 5th inning: GIDP ... 9th inning: Walk-off sac fly
Browning: 2-for-4 with 2 hard-hit balls, 1 BB — quietly huge

[AZTarHeel]

Wild Night in the Tobacco State League: Upsets, Extra Innings & Epic Drama

Quarterfinal Recap | By Chase Murphy

RED SPRINGS — If Game 5s are the essence of playoff baseball, the Tobacco State League just delivered a masterpiece. Three elimination games went down to the wire Wednesday night — including a walk-off sac fly, a ninth-inning road upset, and an 18-inning war of attrition.

Here’s what happened:

No. 1 Red Springs 3, No. 9 Smithfield-Selma 2
Already recapped in detail above, Red Springs needed every ounce of grit to survive. Danny Abell’s sacrifice fly in the bottom of the ninth won it. MVP Justin Stubbs stole three bases and reached base four times.

No. 10 Angier-Fuquay Springs 1, No. 2 Whiteville 0
Top of the 9th. A scoreless classic. That’s when Angier-FS scratched across a run on a one-out RBI double from Billy Moore — the only one of the game — to stun the heavily favored Whiteville squad. Josh Poole (7.0 IP) and Chris Parlato (2.0 IP, W) pitched a combined four-hit shutout, launching the last team in the league into the semis.

“We weren’t supposed to win,” said Angier manager J.D. Parker. “But our boys didn’t care about that.”

No. 3 Warsaw 2, No. 6 Lumberton 1 (18 Innings)
Let that sink in: Eighteen innings. Scoreless through 11, both teams traded single runs in the 12th. Then nothing — until the bottom of the 18th, and Alex Hagemann hit a sac fly to right to score Jon Lamon.

The sac fly - the most mundane, most beautiful play in baseball when the game's on the line.

Semifinal Matchups
(4) Sanford vs. (1) Red Springs
(10) Angier-FS vs. (3) Warsaw

Both are best-of-five series. Both series start Friday, Aug. 8. Expect nothing short of chaos — because in the debut season of the TSL, anything can happen.

[AZTarHeel]

Red Springs Outslugs Sanford in Wild Semifinals Opener, 10-7

By Chase Murphy | The Robesonian Summer Intern | Friday, Aug. 8, 2025

RED SPRINGS — The Tobacco State League semifinals got off to a roaring, bat-cracking start Friday night at Robbins Stadium, where no lead felt safe and no hit seemed big enough until the final out.

The Red Springs Red Robins, fresh off a nail-biting five-game series win over Smithfield-Selma, tagged Sanford early and held on late for a 10-7 victory, handing the Spinners their first loss of the postseason. Sanford had swept Clinton in three straight in the quarterfinals.

Red Springs erupted for five runs in the first inning, capped by Danny Abell’s three-run blast to left with two outs. Abell had been the hero of the finale against Smithfield-Selma, recording the game-winning RBI on a sac fly.

“That set the tone,” manager Elijah Crabtree said of Abell's first-inning homer Friday. “In a game like this, you want to get the crowd in it early, and we sure did.”

But Sanford wouldn’t go quietly. Third baseman Randy Ramirez almost singlehandedly dragged the Spinners back, going 3-for-4 with 5 RBIs — including a bases-clearing single in the fifth that cut the deficit to 9-5.

The Robins answered with just enough offense to keep their noses in front. Center fielder Justin Stubbs crushed a two-run homer in the fourth, and catcher Shane Hangen’s first-inning two-run single got the party started. Every spot in the Red Springs lineup reached base at least once, with Stubbs, Abell and first baseman Steve Bowser each scoring twice.

Starter Luke Restivo battled through five innings to earn the win, scattering 10 hits and striking out five. The bullpen bent but didn’t break, with closer Juan Hartman recording the final out with the bases loaded for his second save of the playoffs. The usually reliable set-up man Bill Lane had just issued two walks and surrendered a single.

The game lasted more than four hours, featured 27 hits and had a postseason energy that had the sellout crowd at of 5,452 at The Nest buzzing.

“We know Sanford can swing it,” Crabtree said. “But so can we. Tonight, it was offense that won us the game.”

The series continues Saturday night in Red Springs, with the Robins looking to take a commanding 2-0 lead in the best-of-five set. Red Springs has not announced a starting pitcher, only to say that ace Dan McSwain (9-0 regular season, 1-0 post-season) would not be available after throwing twice in the quarterfinal series.

Tobacco State League Scoreboard | Friday, Aug. 8, 2025
Tenth-seeded Angier-Fuquay Springs -- yes, you read that correctly; the Bulls are the 10th seed -- beat No. 3 Warsaw 5-3 in the other semifinal series opener. Billy Moore doubled twice for the Angier nine and drove home two runs.

Red Springs swept Angier-Fuquay Springs 8-1, 7-4 and 6-3 to end the regular season, but the Bulls have been red hot ever since, winning best-of-five series against Dunn-Erwin and Whiteville to advance to the semis.

[AZTarHeel]

Colvin Shuts Down Spinners as Robins Take 2-0 Series Lead

By Chase Murphy | The Robesonian Summer Intern | Saturday, Aug. 9, 2025

RED SPRINGS — They came for a tense semifinal battle, but on Saturday night at Robbins Stadium, the 5,467 fans got something sweeter: a commanding 6-0 Red Springs win, a second straight victory over Sanford and a team now just one win from the Golden Leaf Championship Series.

It was a night where everything clicked early for the Red Robins — and where the unexpected stole the spotlight.

Dave Colvin, the oft-injured 19-year-old rookie lefty, took the ball and delivered six shutout innings, scattering four hits and striking out four on 96 pitches. Twice he worked around Sanford threats, once after a mound visit in the sixth where he waved off his manager: “I’m fine, let me pitch.”

“It was a collective effort,” said first baseman Steve Bowser, whose infield single in the fifth broke a 1-0 game open. “Dave set the tone, the defense made plays and when we had chances, we cashed in.”

Small ball to start, long ball to finish
Red Springs scratched across a run in the third when Colvin himself blooped the team’s first hit, moved to third on Ken Rogers’ double, and scored on Chris Wreede’s sacrifice fly. In the fifth, Bowser’s RBI single with the bases loaded made it 2-0.

The sixth inning delivered breathing room: Bruce Browning’s single and Mike Adams getting plunked set the stage for Josh Fleisher’s two-run double down the right-field line. In the seventh, center fielder Justin Stubbs put the game out of reach with a towering two-run homer to left, his third of the postseason.

Bullpen holds, but injury clouds the win
Bob Hoyle replaced Colvin and cruised through the seventh and eighth. But in the ninth, after recording the first out, Hoyle left with a back injury. Dane O’Farrell needed just three pitches to record the final two outs.

With the win, Red Springs takes a 2-0 lead in the best-of-five series, needing just one more victory to punch its ticket to the finals. But with C.J. Seth sidelined by illness for a few more days and Hoyle likely out for at least a week (per team reports), pitching depth is suddenly a concern.

Game 3 is set for Monday at Tramway Road Park in Sanford. Do the Red Robins turn to ace Dan McSwain to close out the series or try to save him for a potential Game 1 start in the Golden Leaf series?

Red Spring manager Elijah Crabtree wouldn't tip his hand Saturday night. “Three chances to get one win,” he said. “That’s where you want to be — but against this team, you can’t take anything for granted.”

Tobacco State League Scoreboard | Semifinal #2
In the other semifinal, the magic continued for the No. 10 seed Angier-Fuquay Springs Bulls. The “Cardiac Bulls” took down Warsaw 6-2 on Saturday to grab a 2-0 lead in their series. One more win and they’ll complete an improbable sweep to reach the Golden Leaf Championship Series.

If Red Springs finishes off Sanford, fans could be staring at a No. 1 vs. No. 10 showdown for the title — a best-of-seven few saw coming in March.

[AZTarHeel]

OK, OOTP experts, I've got to start my ace pitcher Dan McSwain in game three, right? He's 9-0 regular season, 1-0 playoffs with an ERA of less than 1.00.

I would love to steal a game without him and save him to possibly pitch three times (games 1, 4 and 7, if needed) in the championship series. But man, if I hold him out and we lose game three, we just sent momentum to Sanford big time.

How would you handle this?

[luckymann]

Originally Posted by AZTarHeel

OK, OOTP experts, I've got to start my ace pitcher Dan McSwain in game three, right? He's 9-0 regular season, 1-0 playoffs with an ERA of less than 1.00.

I would love to steal a game without him and save him to possibly pitch three times (games 1, 4 and 7, if needed) in the championship series. But man, if I hold him out and we lose game three, we just sent momentum to Sanford big time.

How would you handle this?

Tomorrow, it may rain...

[AZTarHeel]

Originally Posted by luckymann

Tomorrow, it may rain...

For real, there has been a deluge in central North Carolina all day today ...

[AZTarHeel]

McSwain’s Masterpiece Sends Robins to the Finals

By Chase Murphy | The Robesonian Summer Intern | Monday, Aug. 11, 2025

SANFORD — If there was ever a moment for pitcher Dan McSwain to cement his legacy for the young Red Springs baseball franchise, this was it.

In a rain-speckled night at Tramway Road Park, with the Sanford Spinners fighting to extend their season, McSwain threw nine gritty innings, drove in the go-ahead run himself, and closed it with a double-play ball as the Robins clinched the series with a 3-1 win.

Red Springs sweeps through the semifinals 3-0 and now will face the winner of the Warsaw vs. Angier-Fuquay Springs series in the Golden Leaf Champions Cup.

Early Edge
The Robins cracked the scoreboard in the 2nd when Justin Stubbs doubled to left and scored on Danny Abell’s infield single. Sanford starter Josh Fogg, who entered with a spotless postseason ERA, settled in to retire 11 of the next 12 batters, matching McSwain frame-for-frame.

Jensrud Strikes Back
Sanford’s Andy Jensrud, the No. 1 overall draft pick and league MVP favorite, tripled with two outs in the 6th and came home on Danny Cruz’s RBI double, tying the game 1-1.

Pitcher at the Plate
McSwain, undeterred, helped his own cause in the top of the 7th. With two outs and his catcher Mike Adams at second, manager Elijah Crabtree let his ace hit. McSwain - who already had one base hit earlier this game - punched a single up the middle to plate Adams, then later scored himself on Ken Rogers’ clutch knock, diving headfirst across home for a 3-1 lead.

All Heart in the Ninth
By the 9th, McSwain’s pitch count had climbed past 100. With one out and a runner aboard, Crabtree visited the mound. McSwain’s response was simple: “I train all year for moments like this. I feel great.”

One pitch later, Sanford's Alex Gonzales grounded into a 5-4-3 double play — Abell to Mario Sanchez to Bowser — sealing the win and setting off a Red Springs celebration on Sanford’s turf.

The Line
McSwain (W, 2-0): 9 IP, 6 H, 1 ER, 2 BB, 2 K, 107 pitches — plus 2-for-4, 1 RBI, 1 run scored.
Fogg (L, 1-1): 8 IP, 7 H, 3 ER, 2 BB, 6 K, 107 pitches.

Series MVP: A bit surprising it wasn't McSwain. But the vote went to Steve Bowser (.600 AVG, 3 runs), who provided steady offense and key defense at first base.
Attendance: 8,508 fans braved the light rain in Sanford, sensing a playoff classic. They got one, at least if you were wearing red.

[AZTarHeel]

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.

[AZTarHeel]

Editor's note: This continues to be the most fun I've ever had with an OOTP dynasty project. And I've been playing a long time! Best sports sim ever, hands down.

Purely unexpected to reach the finals after the disastrous start to the season and the injuries that have piled up. Didn't think we had enough pitching and bats to get through Sanford, who finished fourth but who I believe had the best overall team.

I love how this game brings characters to life. My stud pitcher Dan McSwain might be my favorite player ever. He's pure ice-in-the-veins. He'll get in a jam in the latter innings, I'll visit the mound and his response is usually something like "I've yet to even break a sweat. Leave me alone." And then he usually responds with a shutdown play.

In this past game, with him sitting at 106 pitches and giving up a one-out single, I had the manager pay him a visit (with closer and set-up man ready to go). Pure poetry: "I train all year for moments like this. Let me pitch." I did, and he got the DP to end the game on the next throw.

Anyways, thanks for reading along. The big question for me now: What do I do with this dynasty going forward? It was meant to be my summer fling - a sprint of a season (54 games + playoffs), played out in real time to take me into football. Do I table it until spring 2026 for another run, advance to 2026 now or just retire it altogether? Time will tell. Have one more series to go try and win

[AZTarHeel]

Is The Series Over Already?
Red Springs pummels Angier-Fuquay Springs with explosive 8th inning

Chase Murphy | The Robesonian Summer Intern | Aug. 14, 2025

The Red Springs Red Robins opened the Golden Leaf Champions Cup in emphatic fashion, hammering the Angier-Fuquay Springs Bulls 12-1 on Thursday night at The Nest.

Leading just 3-1 entering the bottom of the eighth, the Robins broke the game wide open with a nine-run, 11-hit rally that electrified the home crowd.

Catcher Shane Hangen led the way with a 3-for-4 night that included a home run, double and three RBIs. Shortstop Josh Fleisher, bumped up to the No. 2 spot in the order, delivered two hits and three RBIs, while Ken Rogers added three hits and a pair of steals.

Starter Luke Restivo tossed seven shutout innings to earn the win, while the bullpen was barely touched — only Bill Lane worked an inning before mop-up man Pat Roles finished it out.

While it's just one victory in a best-of-seven, there's a strong feeling that Angier-Fuquay Springs is already supremely on its back foot. Game 2 is set for tomorrow (August 15), with left-hander Dave Colvin expected to start for the Robins. From there, the series will shift to Angier's quirky home diamond for games 3, 4 and if necessary 5.