Spartanburgers' Win Streak Ends with Wilmington Comeback

Bullpen falters after Pence takes no-hitter into the sixth

Apr. 18, 2026 at 5:05am

Got story updates? Submit your updates here. ›

A cubist, geometric painting depicting a baseball pitcher's delivery broken down into overlapping planes of color, representing the ups and downs of the Spartanburgers' game against Wilmington.Pence's dominant pitching performance was ultimately undone by a collapse in the Spartanburgers' bullpen.Wilmington Today

For the second straight start, Dalton Pence dominated early on. The lefty took a no-hitter into the sixth inning against Wilmington (7-5) on Friday. The Spartanburgers (6-6) could not hold on though in a 7-4 loss. This snaps Hub City's four-game win streak and hands the Blue Rocks their first win of the series.

Why it matters

The Spartanburgers were looking to continue their hot streak and take the series against Wilmington, but their bullpen couldn't hold the lead after Pence's strong start. This loss drops Hub City back to .500 on the season and will test their resilience as they look to bounce back.

The details

Pence had a no-hitter going into the sixth inning, but the Wilmington offense finally broke through against the Spartanburgers' bullpen. A dropped third strike and a couple of errors allowed the Blue Rocks to take the lead in the seventh inning and pull away for the victory.

  • Pence took a no-hitter into the sixth inning on Friday.
  • The Spartanburgers had won four straight games before this loss.

The players

Dalton Pence

The Spartanburgers' starting pitcher who dominated early, taking a no-hitter into the sixth inning.

Eiker Huizi

The Wilmington reliever who came in to escape a bases-loaded jam in the sixth inning and earned the win.

Kai Wynyard

The Spartanburgers' reliever who struggled in the seventh inning, allowing Wilmington to take the lead.

Yeison Morrobel

The Spartanburgers' outfielder who hit a home run to put Hub City up by three runs in the fourth inning.

T.J. White

The Wilmington batter who hit a game-tying home run in the sixth inning to erase the Spartanburgers' lead.

Got photos? Submit your photos here. ›

What they’re saying

“We had Pence pitching a great game, but the bullpen just couldn't hold it together in the end. We'll need to regroup and come back stronger tomorrow.”

— Malcolm Moore, Spartanburgers Outfielder

“It was a tough loss, but we showed a lot of fight to come back and take the lead. The guys did a great job battling back against a tough pitcher.”

— T.J. White, Wilmington Batter

What’s next

The Spartanburgers will look to bounce back on Saturday night when they send right-hander Ismael Agreda to the mound against Wilmington's Josh Randall.

The takeaway

This loss is a tough one for the Spartanburgers, as they were unable to hold onto the lead after Pence's dominant start. However, the team has shown resilience all season, and they'll need to regroup quickly to try and take the series against Wilmington and get back on track.