GAFFNEY, S.C. – The Anderson baseball team dropped the opener of a South Atlantic Conference doubleheader, 8-4, but bounced back and rallied to win the nightcap, 7-4, at Limestone, Sunday afternoon at Founders FCU Stadium.
Anderson moved to 7-7 overall and 6-6 in conference play after taking three games of the four-game weekend series. Limestone fell to 5-8 overall and 3-5 in the league.
INSIDE THE BOX SCORE
Game #1
Limestone 8, Anderson 4
The Trojans scored six runs, but were limited to just six hits in the opener. Junior Chandler Castleberry hammered his second home run of the season, while freshman Tanner Bray, junior Jacob Kohns, sophomore Justin Fox, along with seniors Cody Adams and Nick Vella each posted singles.
Sophomore Joseph Cottone (1-1) took the loss after allowing four runs on four hits in four innings of work on the mound. The left-hander struck out seven batters and issued just two free passes.
Game #2
Anderson 7, Limestone 4
Freshman designated hitter Kevin Sosa was 2-for-4 in the nightcap, wirh a pair of singles and an eighth-inning sacrifice fly. Adams was 2-for-3, with two singles and also reached on an error. The Saluda, S.C., native also swiped a base. Senior Tyler Berry belted his first homer of the season in the seventh inning, while Bray reached base three times in four trips to the plate. The native of Winston-Salem, N.C., had a single, drew a walk and reached on an error. Kohns added a single and a walk, with Fox notching a two-run double in the fourth inning.
Junior Lucas Smith got his first start of the season on the mound and went 4 1/3 innings, while allowing four runs on seven hits and fanning five batters and not walking a batter. Senior Christian Carpenter (1-1) collected the win in relief. The senior limited Limestone to just two hits over the final 4 2/3 innings and struck out seven batters and did not issue a walk.
HOW IT HAPPENED
Game 1
Limestone jumped on to early lead by posting solo runs in each of the first two innings, with Castleberry getting AU on the scoreboard with a lead-off home run in the second inning.
The Saints took the lead for good with a three-run fourth inning and they added another run in the fifth frame before closing out their scoring with three runs in the bottom of the sixth.
The Trojans scored two runs in their final at-bat and managed to get the tying run to the plate with one out and the bases loaded, but were unable to get any closer.
"It's great to win the series on the road," said Anderson head coach P.J. Zocchi. "The boys fought and came up a little short in game one. We didn't execute both off and on the mound the way we wanted to."
Game 2
Just as in the opener, the Saints pushed solo runs across the plate in both the first and second frames, but the Trojans rallied to take a brief lead in the nightcap by scoring three times in the fourth inning. Castleberry drew a one-out walk and Bray then reached in an error. Kohns followed by beating out a bunt single to load the bases with no outs and Fox's double to center field brought home both Castleberry and Bray. Kohns crossed the plate with the go-ahead run when Brayden Owens bounced out to the right side.
The lead was brief however, as Limestone scored twice in the fifth to regain a 4-3 edge.
The Trojans batted around in the seventh inning and took advantage of three walks, an error, a single and Berry's home run to center field to take a 6-4 lead and added a run in the eighth on Sosa's sacrifice fly to left field.
"We responded in game two and fought hard in the box" added Zocchi. "Lucas gave us a good start in his first appearance of the year. Carpenter was great. He came in and was on attack mode all day. He picked the team up today. I'm extremely proud of the leader he is."
ANDERSON STAT OF THE DAY
The Trojans were 5-for-5 in stolen bases on the afternoon.
NOTABLES
• Carpenter, Smith and Cottone combined to strikeout 19 Saints.
• Justin Fox and Tanner Bray will each enter Saturday's doubleheader on a four-game hitting streak.
• Nick Vella has reached base safely in all 14 games.
• Chandler Castleberry leads AU with five multi-RBI games.
• Five Trojans recorded at least two hits on the day.
• Limestone recorded six home runs, a triple and a pair of doubles in the twin bill.
UP NEXT
Following a five-day layoff, the Trojans will get back on the diamond, Saturday afternoon when longtime local rival Erskine invades the Electric City for the 85th meeting between the two schools since the 1998 campaign. First-pitch for the Trojans and Flying Fleet is slated for 1 p.m.
