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

[AZTarHeel]

RED ROBINS BREAK THROUGH FOR FIRST 'W'!
Steve Bowser, Shane Hangen bash homers; pitching staff slams the door

By Chase Murphy | The Robesonian Summer Intern
May 27, 2025

At long last, the losing streak is over — and I don’t care if I’m supposed to stay objective: this one felt amazing.

After four straight days of heartbreak, walk-offs, and walk-backs to the dugout with heads hanging low, the Red Springs Red Robins finally delivered what the faithful at Robbins Stadium have been dying to see — a win. A real one. A 5–3 triumph over Whiteville, sealed by timely blasts and, dare I say it, clutch pitching.

Was the crowd thinner than Opening Night? Sure. Did it drizzle all day like the baseball gods were trying to test our spirit? Yup. But nobody cared once that final out was recorded. Our Red Robins — still figuring it out, still scrappy as ever — got into the win column. And it couldn’t have come at a better time.



The night belonged to two unlikely sluggers.

Steve Bowser — the 20-year-old first baseman with the quiet bat but loud potential (despite being drafted in the 28th round) — launched a three-run shot in the third inning that brought the dugout to life. Then, in the sixth, veteran catcher Shane Hangen (age 29, playing what might be his final summer of organized ball) turned on an inside pitch and crushed it over the left-field wall to give the Robins a 5–3 lead.

The bats did their job. Then — and I’m still wrapping my head around this — the pitching held it down.

No. 5 starter Shane D’Ovidio battled through six gritty innings, giving up three runs but keeping us in it the whole way. And then the bullpen — yes, our bullpen — was lights out. Bob Hoyle (one of the goats in an earlier loss) set the table with a clean seventh and eighth, and then, for the first time this season, the lights dimmed and the Wizard emerged.

Juan “Wizard of 0’s” Hartman made his season debut in the ninth, and let me tell you — it was worth the wait. A double-play ball. A strikeout with heat that sizzled even in the damp air. Game over. Win secured. Drought broken.

“I know it’s just one,” Hangen said after the game, “but man, we needed that one.”

So did we, Shane. So did we.

------

Around the Tobacco State League tonight:
Warsaw 11, Rockingham 10 (12 innings)
Sanford 12, Lumberton 4 (Lumberton has lost 2 straight since sweeping Red Springs)
Dunn-Erwin 1, Clinton 0 (Twins pitch a 1-hitter)
Smithfield-Selma 6, Angier-Fuquay Springs 0 (2-hitter for the Leafs)

Every team is now either 3-2 or 2-3 ... except the Robins, who are 1-4 ... but only 2 back!

[AZTarHeel]

HOYLE TOUGH:
Red Robins reliever Bob Hoyle may have spent the last few days in baseball timeout (a.k.a. the reserve roster) after a dreadful showing at Lumberton, but Tuesday night he came storming back with a vengeance — and maybe a bit of a chip on his shoulder.

Called in for the seventh inning with a slim two-run lead, Hoyle briefly had fans (and maybe his manager) holding their breath after taking a tumble during a fielding play. The training staff took a look. Hoyle waved them off. When manager Elijah Crabtree visited the mound, Hoyle gave the most Bob Hoyle response possible: “Buzz off. I’m fine."

He wasn’t bluffing.

The 22-year-old righty shut down Whiteville in the seventh and the eighth, tossing his best outing of the season. He did give up a hit to the first batter in the ninth — but that just gave Robbins Stadium the chance to unleash The Wizard (Juan Hartman) for the final act.

For a guy who was shelved just two days ago, Hoyle’s message was loud and clear: he’s back, and he’s here to battle.

“Reserve roster purgatory or not, I don’t care,” Hoyle said postgame, still icing his elbow. “If you give me the ball, I’m gonna throw it until someone makes me stop.”

--- Chase Murphy | The Robesonian

[AZTarHeel]

McSwain Masterful, Brooks Brilliant, Wizard Wows ‘Em Late
Red Springs baseball wins again, blanks Whiteville 4-0

By Chase Murphy | The Robesonian Summer Intern
May 28, 2025

That’s two in a row.
That’s a shutout.
That’s a statement.

On a night where the Red Springs Red Robins needed to prove the first win wasn’t a fluke, they delivered one of the most complete performances of the young season.

Dan McSwain? Seven-plus scoreless innings, calm under fire, an ace in every sense.

Lefty Matt Brooks? Quiet assassin. Came in cold in the eighth, stayed hot into the ninth.

Closer Juan “Wizard of O’s” Hartman? Came in with two on and two out in the ninth, stared down Whiteville’s top hitter Samir Aragvsky (.440) — and blew him away with a filthy strikeout to end it.

No save. No problem.
Robins win, 4–0.
And for the first time this season, this team doesn’t just look promising — they look dangerous.

FINAL SCORE
Red Springs 4, Whiteville 0

Red Springs: 4 R, 7 H, 0 E
Whiteville: 0 R, 6 H, 1 E

Red Robins Offensive Leaders:
Chris Wreede: 2-for-4, RBI, tone-setter and crowd favorite
Steve Bowser: 1-for-4, RBI double off the centerfield fence
Bruce Browning: 1-for-3, RBI single, picked off (but forgiven)
Mario Sanchez: 1-for-3, double, run scored
Ken Rogers: drew a key walk to extend the 6th inning rally

Pitching Recap:
McSwain (W, 1-0): 7.0 IP, 5 H, 0 R, 6 K
Brooks (H): 1.2 IP, 1 H, 0 R
Hartman: 0.1 IP, 1 H, 1 K, game-ending wizardry

“We’re just getting started,” McSwain said postgame, not even bothering to unstrap his cleats. “I told Coach I hadn’t broken a sweat yet. Guess I’ll save that for next week.”

The Robins are 2–4.
But they’re flying high.
And nobody’s laughing now.

Out Of Town Scoreboard
Warsaw 3, Rockingham 1
Angier-Fuquay Springs 4, Smithfield Selma 1
Clinton 2, Dunn-Erwin 1
Lumberton 2, Sanford 0

Updated TSL Standings
4–2: Warsaw, Clinton, Lumberton
3–3: Rockingham, Angier, Smithfield-Selma, Sanford
2–4: Dunn-Erwin, Red Springs, Whiteville

[AZTarHeel]

Red Sox > Red Robins

Thursday, May 29

With rain in the forecast for Thursday night, ace summer intern Chase Murphy opted not to make the 90-minute trip to see Red Springs' weekend opener at Warsaw.

It was a good thing he stayed home. Rains delayed things for awhile, and the Red Robins got pummeled once play resumed, 8-2.

Justin Lee pitched a gem for the Red Sox as Warsaw improved to 5-2. Red Springs dropped to 2-5, with their ace Luke Restivo suffering his second defeat of the season. Dylan Hogsed went 3-for-5 to lead the Warsaw onslaught.

Thunderstorms are in the forecast for Friday night, but teams are hopeful game two of the series can be played. Lefty Dave Colvin is expected to go for the Robins ...

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Abell Redeems, Wreede Delivers, Hartman Slams the Door Cold
Red Robins have now won three of last four after nailbiting comeback victory

By Chase Murphy | The Robesonian Summer Intern
May 30, 2025

They nearly blew it. Twice.

They forgot to warm up their closer.
They grounded into another soul-crushing double play.
They trailed in the fifth and looked like the season was about to snap in half.

And they still won, beating Warsaw 3-2 in a nailbiter.

Red Springs 3B Danny Abell, once hitting below the Mendoza line, ropes a double, scores the tying run, and then makes a clutch defensive play to gun down the lead runner on a bunt in the ninth.

2B Chris Wreede continues his summer hero arc with a game-tying RBI and flawless defense at second.

Bruce Browning adds a go-ahead RBI.
And Juan “Wizard of 0’s” Hartman comes in cold and still pulls off a ninth-inning escape worthy of a movie trailer.

“I told the coach I didn’t need to be warm,” Hartman said after the game, wrapping his right arm in a towel. “I’m always hot.”

Reliever Bob Hoyle got the win. He pitched 1.2 innings of no-hit ball with one walk and 2Ks.

Red Springs Scoring Recap:
T5: Abell RBI single
T8: Wreede RBI single, Browning RBI single

Pitching Line:
Colvin (W): 6.0 IP, 6Ks, 0 walks, 7 hits, 2 runs allowed — solid with a few slips
Hartman (SV): 1 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 warm-up pitches, all guts

Red Springs improves to 3–5 — still alive, still swinging, and now officially the most stressful 3-win team in the league.

“I didn’t throw my laptop out the window,” one anonymous team executive said postgame.
“So that’s a win, too.”

Around the Tobacco State League Tonight (May 30):
Clinton 4, Angier-Fuquay Springs 3
Smithfield-Selma 5, Lumberton 4
Dunn-Erwin 5, Rockingham 2
Whiteville 4, Sanford 3

TSL Standings | After May 30 Games
Clinton 6-2
Lumberton 5-3
Warsaw 5-3
Smithfield 4-4
Sanford 4-4
Dunn-Erwin 4-4
Rockingham 3-5
Red Springs 3-5
Angier-Fuquay Springs 3-5
Whiteville 3-5