Carolina University’s baseball team began its 2026 season with a doubleheader against Spartanburg Methodist in Spartanburg, South Carolina, after a week-long delay due to winter weather. The Bruins, led by Associate Head Coach Logan Conklin, opened the new campaign on the road.
In the first game, Carolina University took an early lead by scoring five runs in the top of the first inning. Chandler Smithart started the offense at the top of the lineup, and Leland Brown hit a two-RBI double. Peyton Banks and Luke Daniels also contributed with run-producing hits. Brown and Daniels each drove in three runs as Carolina finished with eight runs on five hits. However, Spartanburg Methodist answered with a five-run third inning and continued to add pressure offensively, eventually winning 16-8.
Coach Logan Conklin said, “I loved the way we came out to start the season. You never know what to expect in your first game, especially after a weather delay, but our guys were aggressive early and competed in the box. We showed flashes of what we can be offensively — now it’s about sustaining that energy for nine innings.”
In game two of the doubleheader, Carolina again scored first with a run in the opening inning thanks to key hits from Alexis Fontanez and Nathan Wesley. Wesley drove in one run for the Bruins. Despite this start, Spartanburg Methodist gained control with a seven-run second inning and went on to win 12-2.
Conklin commented on his team’s performance: “Today gave us a lot to learn from. We’re a group that’s still coming together, and opening on the road against a solid opponent is a challenge. Our focus now is cleaning up the small things — throwing strikes, limiting free bases, and playing clean defense.”
The Bruins will return to Spartanburg Methodist for another doubleheader scheduled for Sunday, February 8.
The Carolina University Bruins Baseball Team competes in both conference and non-conference games throughout their season as part of intercollegiate sports under NCAA Division III guidelines (https://cubruins.com/sports/baseball). The team is based in Bexley, Ohio; it belongs to the Ohio Athletic Conference (https://cubruins.com/sports/baseball) and supports student-athletes by promoting both academic achievement and athletic participation (https://cubruins.com/sports/baseball). The program aims to enhance its university’s athletic heritage while integrating academics into athletics for its players (https://cubruins.com/sports/baseball).
