SALISBURY, N.C. – The Anderson University baseball team closed out its South Atlantic Conference slate by dropping both ends of a doubleheader at No. 26 Catawba, 3-1 and 11-1, Saturday afternoon at Newman Park.
Anderson fell to 12-24 overall and 10-20 in conference play, while Catawba (29-7, 24-6 SAC) earned its 10th consecutive victory and its 16th win in 17 outings.
INSIDE THE BOX SCORE
Game #1
Catawba 3, Anderson 1
Senior Chandler Castleberry notched one of the Trojans' four hits in the opener – a fourth inning triple – and also reached base on a sixth-inning walk. Senior Cody Adams, sophomore Justin Fox and senior Davis Goodyear also posted singles, with Goodyear scoring AU's lone run.
Joseph Cottone (1-6) took the loss after surrendering three runs on three hits over 5 1/3 innings of work on the mound. He struck out three and walked five.
Game #2
Catawba 11, Anderson 1 (7 Innings)
Fox posted a pair of singles and scored a run in the nightcap, while senior Nick Vella and catcher Tyler Berry each went 1-for-3 with a double. Adams was 1-for-2 with a walk and Castleberry was 1-for-1, with a walk and an RBI.
Will McSwain (1-2) absorbed the loss after allowing nine runs on 12 hits over 3 2/3 innings. The right-hander struck out one batter and did not issue a walk.
HOW IT HAPPENED
Game 1
The Trojans took an early 1-0 lead in the top of the second inning when Goodyear singled to center with one out and senior Trevor Weisner followed with a walk. Goodyear then crossed the plate when the Indians' defense misplayed sophomore Ryan Brash's sacrifice bunt.
But Catawba responded with a solo run in the third to knot the score and took the lead with another solo run in the bottom of the fourth. Adams and Fox posted back-to-back two-out singles in the top of fifth inning, but the Indians escaped unharmed and added another run in the bottom of the sixth to finish out the scoring.
Game 2
The Indians jumped out to a quick 1-0 lead with a run in the bottom of the first inning, while AU countered by knotting the score with a run in the top of the third, when Fox scored from third on Castleberry's sacrifice fly to right field.
But Catawba answered with four runs in the bottom of the third and four more in the fourth inning to open a 9-1 lead. The Indians added two runs in the bottom of the seventh to end the contest.
UP NEXT
With either Limestone or Mars Hill securing the eighth seed in next week's South Atlantic Conference Tournament, the Trojans will close out the season with a nonconference game at Southern Wesleyan, Tuesday night. First-pitch in Central is slated for 6 p.m.
