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.