PEMBROKE, N.C. - The Anderson baseball team opened a three-game non-conference series by pounding out 11 hits but stranded 12 runners on base as the Trojans fell, 9-3, Saturday evening at Sammy Cox Field.

UNCP had four different players notch multiple hits, including senior Keith Whitman, who doubled, singled twice and scored a run to earmark a 3-for-4 night at the plate. Josh Haley walked, homered and scored twice on a 2-for-3 hitting line, with newcomers Brad Bridgeman and J.J. Williams each turning in 2-for-4 tallies. Williams also scored a pair of runs.

Anderson (0-1) got 2-for-5 tallies from Thomas Padro, Ryan Saxon and Erick Sanderson who provided a leadoff home run to spark a three-run sixth inning for the Trojans.

UNCP starter Tyler Wood (1-0) surrendered nine hits over five innings of work, but picked up the win after striking out nine and allowing just three runs - two earned. Reliever Brantley Hattrich picked up the hold for the Braves after giving up just one hit and striking out four in three innings of relief work, with Brian Willis striking out one and allowing a single in working the ninth frame.

T.J. Estes (0-1) recorded six strikeouts but allowed six runs, three earned, on seven hits in six innings of work to absorb the loss for the Trojans. Kaleb Davis and Riley McDermott both saw an inning of work for Anderson as well.

Haley's leadoff homer in the first gave the hosts a quick lead, with UNCP tacking on solo runs in the third and fourth innings as well, before adding two in the fifth to extend the advantage to 5-0.

Anderson trimmed the deficit by putting up three runs in the top of the sixth to get to within a pair of runs, 5-3, as Sanderson blasted the Trojans' first round-tripper of the season. Ryan Kirkland followed with a single to center, moved to third on Trip Ross' double down the right field line and scored on an error by the Braves second baseman.

UNCP hurler Brantley Hattrich came on in relief and recorded three consecutive outs to squelch the AU rally. The Braves plated Keith Whitman on an error in the bottom of the frame and then put the game away with a three-run eighth inning.
The two teams return to the diamond Sunday afternoon to wrap up the series in a 1 p.m. doubleheader.