WINGATE, N.C. – The Anderson University baseball team closed out its three-game South Atlantic Conference weekend series by dropping a twinbill with Wingate, 14-4 and 3-1, Saturday afternoon at Ron Christopher Stadium and Plyler Athletic Field.
Anderson fell to 5-13 overall and 1-5 in the league, while Wingate improved to 11-8 overall and 3-0 in the conference with its ninth victory in 10 games.
INSIDE THE BOX SCORE
Game #1
Wingate 14, Anderson 4
Junior William Thomas led the Trojans with three hits at the plate, while scoring once and driving in a run. Sophomore Jackson Strange added a double and a single, while sophomore Carson Barrett posted a home run and a walk.
Sophomore right-hander John McMicking (0-3), who retired eight of the first nine batters he faced and 12 of the first 16, absorbed the loss after surrendering eight runs (three earned) in 4 1/3 innings of work on the mound. He struck out two and walked two.
Game #2
Wingate 3, Anderson 1
Thomas was 2-for-3, with a pair of singles in the nightcap, while Jackson Strange added a pair of singles in three trips to the plate. Freshman Avery Green was 1-for-3 and scored the Trojans' run in the sixth inning.
Senior Chris Ayers (2-2) took the loss after tossing 4 2/3 innings and allowing three runs (two earned) on four hits, while striking out six and issuing two walks.
HOW IT HAPPENED
Game 1
The Trojans got off to a fast start, as Thomas led off the day with a single, third baseman Tyler Miller was hit by a pitch and freshman Dillon Carpenter drew a walk on five pitches to load the bases with no outs in top of the first inning. Junior left-fielder Michael Rochester continued the successful opening with a two-RBI single back up the middle to give the Black and Gold a quick two-run advantage. Wingate mustered a two-out baserunner in the bottom of the inning but did not seriously threaten.
After the Trojans roughed up Wingate starter Hunter Hamilton, the junior right-hander settled down to shut down AU 1-2-3 in the top of the second inning, while McMicking retired six of the first seven Wingate batters he faced.
Wingate rallied to take a one-run, 3-2, lead when junior Bradley Brown homered with two on and two out in the home half of the third. Bulldog freshman Joseph Mason reached on an error with two outs and Ty Andrus followed with a walk on four pitches to get the tying run on base and set the table for Brown's heroics.
AU's Barrett quickly answered for the Trojans by pulling a 2-0 pitch beyond the fence in right field for his first home run of the season in the top of the fourth and two batters later, Jackson Strange pulled a double down the left-field line, but was stranded at second.
The Trojans threatened when Thomas led off the fifth with his second hit of the afternoon by beating out an infield single, but after a pop up for the first out, Thomas was erased trying to swipe second and the Trojans came away empty-handed following another pop up.
Wingate claimed the lead for good when the Bulldogs pushed across five runs in the bottom of the fifth inning on the strength of six hits and the aid of a wild pitch and an error. The Bulldogs added two runs with two outs in the bottom of the seventh and four more in the eighth to gain a 13-3 lead.
Jackson Strange and Joseph Strange led off AU's final at-bat with Jackson Strange eventually crossing the plate with AU's final run of the afternoon.
Game 2
Wingate's Andrus notched a one-out double and scored when Brown homered to right-center in the bottom of the first inning.
Ayers settled down and limited the Bulldogs to just four baserunners over the next four innings, with the Trojans getting on the scoreboard in the top of the sixth inning.
Green led off by singling through the right side and went to second when Thomas singled to right. Green moved to third when Carpenter bounced into a fielder's choice and crossed the plate on an error by the Bulldogs.
Jackson Strange led off the final inning with a single up the middle, but was stranded, as the Trojans were unable to take advantage.
ANDERSON STAT OF THE DAY
Thomas was a combined 5-for-8 on the afternoon, with five singles, a run scored and an RBI.
NOTABLES
• Jackson Strange was 4-for-7 in the doubleheader.
• Trojan hurlers struck out 16 Wingate batters and issued just four free passes on the afternoon.
• Thomas leads AU with nine multi-hit games on the season.
• Rochester has reached base safely in his last five games.
• Thomas is riding a four-game hitting streak.
UP NEXT
Anderson returns to Memorial Stadium for a two-game nonconference homestand, beginning with Emmanuel, Tuesday afternoon at 3 p.m. North Georgia invades the Electric City on Wednesday.
