ANDERSON, S.C. - An explosive offense and timely pitching lifted Anderson to a sweep of visiting Coker College, 11-6 and 13-3 in non-conference baseball doubleheader action Saturday afternoon at Anderson Memorial Stadium.

Anderson (5-3) has won four in a row and remained undefeated at home on the season, while the Trojans' former league opponent Coker (1-4) suffered its third consecutive setback with the sweep.

Game #1
Anderson 11, Coker 6

Senior second baseman Ryan Saxon was a perfect three-for-three with two runs scored and four RBI in the opener on the strength of a pair of doubles, while teammate Erick Sanderson blasted a two-run home run, a run-scoring triple and a sacrifice fly to also notch four RBI in the first contest. Junior shortstop Padro added a pair of hits and scored twice, with junior Jonathan Romano crossing the plate twice in three at-bats.

Anderson took advantage of a pair of doubles to take an early one-run in the first, as Padro ripped a one-out double to left-center and Saxon recorded his first hit of the afternoon - a two-bagger to left-center that brought Padro across the plate.

Coker countered with a solo run to even the score in the top of the second, but AU answered by scoring three runs in the third when Romano was hit by a pitch to lead off the inning, with Saxon and Sanderson recording a two-out run-scoring single and run-scoring triple, respectively. Ryan Kirkland came through with a single back up the middle to score Sanderson and boost the Trojans' lead to 4-1 after three complete innings.

Anderson's Brett Scarberry led off the third with a triple to center field and scored as Bobby Roper lifted a fly ball to left field. The Trojans added a pair of runs in the fifth when Sanderson blasted his second home run of the season after Saxon opened the inning with a lead-off walk, increasing AU's lead to 7-1.

The two-run homer by Sanderson benefited a young fan in attendance, as Palmetto Insurance Associates sponsors the Jackpot Inning - if the second batter in AU's half of the fifth inning records a home run out of the park, the lucky ticket-holder wins $500. Saxon led off the frame and Sanderson followed with his round-tripper.

The Trojans broke the game open with four runs in the sixth off a Coker fielding error, three consecutive singles and a two-run double by Saxon to build an 11-1 cushion.

Coker's bats came alive in its final at-bat, as the Cobras sent 10 batters to the plate and scored five runs, but it was too little, too late as sophomore hurler Jacob Long came on in relief to record the final two outs of the contest, after starting pitcher T.J. Estes worked 6 1/3 innings of seven-hit, six-run baseball to record the win. The 6-foot sophomore held the Cobras to just two hits over the first six innings.

The Trojans worked Coker starter Andrew Goot for seven runs, all earned, off seven hits in five innings, saddling him with the loss. Chris Garcia allowed four runs off four hits in the final frame for the Cobras.

Game #2
Anderson 13, Coker 3

A trio of rookies jump-started the Trojans' offense in the nightcap, with Troy Ambros, Shawn Delmontagne and Zack Reeves each posting two hits and combining for six RBI and six runs scored in the contest. Junior third baseman Blake May added two hits, two runs and a pair of RBI.

Sanderson, the Trojans' starting pitcher in the nightcap, got off to a rocky start, as Coker scored two runs off five hits in the first inning, but the big right-hander settled down after the opening frame, scattering two hits and shutting down the Cobra offense for the next four innings.

After going down quietly in the first two innings, the AU offense erupted for 10 runs in the third frame, while sending 14 batters to the plate. The Trojans posted seven hits and plated five runs before the Cobra defense recorded the first out of the inning. The three AU newcomers ignited the outburst with a pair of singles and a double to lead off the inning, with each notching two hits.

The Trojans added a solo run in the fifth and another pair of runs in the sixth to earn the win.

Anderson and Coker will wrap up their three-game series on Sunday, with first-pitch at Anderson Memorial Stadium slated for 1 p.m.