Payne picks up where he left off with great start to 2024 summer

Pitching was way ahead of the hitting on Thursday at Hillhouse Park, as summertime rivals Aycorp Charleston Fighting Squirrels and the Southeast Tropics split a doubleheader with the Tropics taking the opener 10-0 and the Squirrels bouncing back with a 5-0 win in the nightcap.

The Tropics (1-1) got a strong outing out of former Oran High School pitcher Kolten Payne in their win.

“KP picked up where he left off last year for us,” veteran Tropics manager Dustin Schwartz said following the victory.

Payne threw a complete game in the championship-clinching game of last summer’s Babe Ruth World Series before spending his first season at St. Charles Community College. He was just as effective on Thursday as he was in beating the Alabama Rawdogs in the World Series.

“Kolten has been pitching in big games his whole life,” Schwartz said. “He walked a couple of guys in this game, but he doesn’t let that get to him.”

Payne allowed a lead-off single to Squirrel Will Green, but after that, didn’t allow another hit in four innings.

He gave up no runs, walked two and struck out six.

“Kolten keeps that composure,” Schwartz said. “From a manager’s standpoint, I don’t have to worry about him or anything getting in his head.

Payne threw 44 strikes in 69 pitches, as he kept the Squirrels off-balance.

“I always go out there with confidence,” Payne said.

Payne had not thrown to a live batter for nearly a month, so he was curious how the night would unfold.

“I just went out there and tried to pound strikes,” Payne said.

The Tropics put six runs on the board in their first at-bat, so that helped Payne relax.

Schwartz’s team put its first nine runners on base, including hits from Aaron Dunlap (single), Mason Adams (double), Dalton Forck (single), and Conner Johnson (single).

Squirrel hurler Bryant Gunn didn’t make it out of the opening inning before veteran Charleston manager Michale Minner went to former New Madrid County Central pitcher Brady Swims, who was more effective.

“We’ve got to speed Brady up a little bit,” Minner said of Swim’s pitching pace. “We want to try and play fast.”

Adams led the Tropics with three hits, as many RBI and a couple of runs scored while Dunlap (one hit, two runs, one RBI, two walks), Trey Miller (one run, two walks), Trey Benthal (one RBI), Forck (one hit, one RBI, one walk), Beau-Hunter Warren (one run), Reece Eftink (three walks, one run), Johnson (one hit, one run, one RBI, one walk), and Ross Peters (one hit, one run, two walks) were also productive in the opening game.

Dunlap, Luke Umfleet, and Peters each had a stolen base.

Forck closed the game on the mound and threw two innings, allowing no hits, no runs, one walk, and striking out two.

Green’s hit was the lone connection for the Squirrels (1-1), while Brady Smith, Kadin Carlisle, and Bennett Logan drew walks.

Swims threw 2 2/3 innings and gave up just two hits, no earned runs, walking three and striking out three.

Lawson Graff (two innings, two hits, two earned runs, two strikeouts) and Logan (one inning, one hit, no earned runs, one walk) pitched in relief for the Squirrels.

In the nightcap, Squirrel starter Blake Wilburn was great in his 2024 debut, as he threw 2 1/3 innings and allowed just one hit and no earned runs while striking out five.

Smith closed the game with 4 2/3 innings of work and allowed no runs while walking two and striking out a couple of Tropic hitters.

Offensively, Smith pounded out three hits and scored a run while Swims had a double as one of his three hits and three RBI in the win.

The Tropics had just five hits in the game with Jay Bogan connecting for a double.

Adams took the loss in his first start of the season after allowing six hits and two earned runs while striking out three.

The Tropics are competing in the Mineral Area Showcase today, Saturday, and Sunday.

The Squirrels will battle Cape Legion on Tuesday in a doubleheader at Cape Central High School at 5:30 p.m.