Spartanburg (S.C.) Methodist College didn’t see a lot of teams at the Alpine Bank Junior College World Series.

The Pioneers faced only two teams, Shelton (Ala.) State Community College and Chipola (Fla.) College in their five games in Grand Junction.

The team did, however, see a lot of Grand Junction.

“I think we had more fun here than anybody,” Spartanburg head coach Tim Wallace said. “You guys have great scenery out here and it is a great place.”

The Pioneers took a rafting trip, went to Moab, Utah, to see Arches National Park and took a trip to Grand Mesa.

“It has been a great experience spending time with my teammates,” Spartanburg second baseman Brooks Robinson said. “Grand Junction is beautiful and it has been a lot of fun.”

When Wallace returns to South Carolina, first on his agenda is to run his baseball camp.

Once things settle down and he has time to reflect on his team’s week, he will be very happy.

“There are some kids who made some memories of a lifetime this week,” Wallace said.

For as many memories as the Pioneers made off the field, the team had just as many on the diamond.

Brooks Robinson, Phillip Morgan and Allen Caldwell led the Pioneers to Saturday’s game.

Robinson, who will see how he fares in the amateur baseball draft next week before deciding his fate, finished with a .480 batting average, six RBI and scored seven runs.

“I don’t think I had the week I should have had,” Robinson said. “I could have played a lot better, but to be mentioned is real great.”

Caldwell had 10 RBI and made 14 plays in center field. Morgan hit five home runs in the tournament.

The Pioneers’ trip to Grand Junction ended after they lost to Chipola for the second time in the tournament, 27-12 on Saturday.

They were down 13-0 after the first two innings.

“We never gave ourselves a chance,” Wallace said. “We just didn’t do a good job on the mound.”

The Pioneers used six pitchers, with the first three not making it out of an inning.

“I don’t think our pitching showed up all week like it could,” Wallace said.

The Pioneers were hindered by not having their No. 1 starter, Trey Delk, available all week.

He attempted to start the semifinal game but was pulled at the last moment because of a nagging arm injury.

“We went a whole week without our No. 1 pitcher and still finished third in this thing,” Wallace said. “It would have been nice to have him pitch during the week.”

The Pioneers were the first team since Essex (Md.) out of the Eastern District to make it as far as they did in the tournament.

“When we first started out, nobody knew what was going on, we came out nervous as heck,” said Morgan, Spartanburg’s first baseman. “But we started playing and it was a good experience.”

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Patrick Bahr can be reached via e-mail at sports@gjds.com.