GAFFNEY, S.C. – Facing a former conference rival for the first time as South Atlantic Conference foes, visiting Anderson University combined for 36 hits and 27 runs to take both games of a doubleheader against the Limestone University baseball team on Saturday, March 6 at Founders FCU Stadium.
GAME 1 INFORMATION
Score: Anderson (S.C.) 14, Limestone 5
Records: Anderson (S.C.) (5-6, 4-5), Limestone (4-6, 2-3)
Location: Founders FCU Stadium
INSIDE THE BOXSCORE
- Senior Alex Cornell (Columbia, Conn.) led the Saints with two base knocks and two RBIs
- Graduate Trace Whetsell (Gilbert, S.C.) added a hit a pair of RBIs
- Senior Tyler O'Dell (North Hanover, N.J.) chipped in a pinch-hit RBI single
- Senior Josh Evans (Indian Land, S.C.) finished with two hits, a walk, and a stolen base
- Junior Brandon Banks (Rock Hill, S.C.) tallied a double
- Freshman Kyle Raynor (Fort Mill, S.C.) also doubled to go with a run scored
- Senior starter Justin Greider (Ridgeway, S.C.) took the loss, giving up seven runs on seven hits
- Sophomore reliever Tyler Smith (Pelham, Ala.) logged five strikeouts, but gave up four runs
- The Saints pitching staff issued seven walks and a hit batter
- Anderson edged Limestone 15-12 in hits while both teams left 10 men stranded
HOW IT HAPPENED
Greider left a pair of two-out doubles stranded over his first two innings of work, but his offense would leave a total of three runners in scoring position to keep the affair scoreless in the early going. Limestone could not capitalize on a one-out single by Evans in the first and a leadoff double by Banks in the second.
The Trojans broke through with a runner in scoring position in the top of the third, taking a 1-0 lead, before busting the game wide open in the fourth. Anderson sent 14 men to the plate in the frame, pushing across nine runs to make it a 10-0 affair, but the Saints responded with a pair of runs in the bottom half.
With the bases loaded and two outs, Whetsell slapped a two-run single into leftfield as the Saints trimmed the margin to 10-2 at the midway point. Limestone started the bottom of the fifth with back-to-back singles, but the Blue and Gold was unable to do anything with it as the next three batters all struck out.
Anderson got a run back in the sixth to move in front, 11-2, but a one-out double by Raynor and two straight two-out walks put Limestone in business in the home half. Cornell came through with a two-run single, but the Trojans put the game away in the seventh with a three-run blast to take game one, 14-5.
GAME 2 INFORMATION
Score: Anderson (S.C.) 13, Limestone 9
Records: Anderson (S.C.) (6-6, 5-5), Limestone (4-7, 2-4)
Location: Founders FCU Stadium
INSIDE THE BOXSCORE
- Banks paced the Saints offense with two hits, including a triple, and three RBIs
- Evans, Raynor, and junior Benjamin Huber (Pendleton, S.C.) all added a pair of base hits
- Freshman Dylan Shugan (Alpharetta, Ga.) tallied a double, a walk, and an RBI
- Cornell finished with a base knock, three walks, and an RBI
- Graduate starter Eric Mullinax (Greenville, S.C.) allowed seven runs on 12 hits to take the loss
- Sophomore reliever Alex Canino (Blythewood, S.C.) struck out one in two-thirds of an inning
- Anderson pounded out 21 hits and work nine walks, but left 17 men on base
- Limestone finished with 11 hits and three walks while leaving seven men stranded
HOW IT HAPPENED
Mullinax gave up two straight hits to start the nightcap, but he was able to work out of the jam with a strikeout, a lazy fly ball to left, and a flyout to center. However, he was not as fortunate in the top of the second following a leadoff single as the Trojans jumped in front, 2-0, with a two-out, two-run homerun.
Cornell singled to start the home half of the second for the Blue and Gold, but he was thrown out attempting to steal second base a few pitches later. Mullinax again wiggled out of trouble in the third, leaving a pair stranded, but Anderson got to him in the fourth with a two-run homerun and an RBI double.
Trailing 5-0 at the midway point, Cornell again reached to leadoff the bottom of the fifth, working a seven-pitch walk, before he came around to score Limestone's first run of the game on a fielding error. The Trojans would counter though with a four-spot in the sixth, sending nine men to the dish to make it 9-1.
With one out in the home half of the sixth, Whetsell registered the Blue and Gold's first base knock since the second and was followed by singles from Evans and Huber to load the bases. Whetsell scored on a wild pitch before Shugan worked a bases-loaded walk two batters later, cutting Anderson's margin to 9-3.
Limestone added four more tallies in the frame, highlighted by a two-run triple from Banks and a deep sacrifice fly to center by senior
Devon Cantey (Half Moon Bay, Calif.), but Anderson again answered with four more runs after batting around in the top of the seventh, extending its cushion to 13-7 despite leaving the bases loaded. The Trojans would leave the bases juiced in the eighth and ninth innings as well.
The Saints made one last push in their final at-bat as a leadoff single by Raynor was followed up by one-out base hits by Evans and Huber to load the bags. Cornell then walked in a run before Banks drove in a run on a two-out infield single, but the Trojans had enough in reserve to hold on for the 13-9 decision.
UP NEXT
Limestone and Anderson will conclude their four-game weekend series tomorrow afternoon with another twinbill at Founders FCU Stadium. First pitch is set for 1 p.m. on Sunday, March 7.
