Florence-Darlington Tech sweeps USC Salkehatchie in doubleheader rout

Florence-Darlington Tech turned Dailey Field in Allendale into a blunt reminder of how steep USC Salkehatchie’s climb has become. The visitors won the April 11 doubleheader 13-5 and 18-2, with the second game ending after five innings at the USC Salkehatchie campus on 465 James Brandt Blvd.

The losses landed in the middle of a season that already looked grim by the numbers. USC Salkehatchie entered the weekend at 3-38 overall and 1-19 in conference play, had dropped 25 straight games, and was batting just .178 as a team while opponents were hitting .355. That gap points to more than a bad day. It suggests a roster that has struggled to score enough, limit damage on the mound, and keep games competitive once the first few innings turn against it.

The sweep also fit a season series that has been one-sided from the start. Florence-Darlington Tech beat USC Salkehatchie 12-0 on March 6, when Jackson Mullen threw a five-inning perfect game, then came back the next day for a 14-2 win. By the time the teams met again on April 11, the pattern was familiar: Florence-Darlington kept piling up runs, and USC Salkehatchie kept absorbing them.

Oneill Feliz was the big bat in the latest rout. Palmetto State Baseball’s scoreboard note from Saturday said Feliz went 5-for-8 with two doubles, two home runs and 10 RBIs across the sweep, a stat line that summed up the difference between the two clubs. Florence-Darlington’s schedule page reflected the same results, and listed a Sunday, April 12 game back at USC Salkehatchie, giving the home team an immediate chance to respond.

For Allendale fans, the bigger question is not whether this was a rough afternoon. It is whether the two losses were another chapter in a collapsing stretch or a warning sign that the rest of the season could look much the same unless USC Salkehatchie finds answers quickly on the mound and at the plate.