ANDERSON, S.C. - Strong pitching performances buoyed the Anderson baseball team as the Trojans earned a split in South Atlantic Conference doubleheader action with Lincoln Memorial, dropping the first contest, 1-0 and bouncing back to claim the nightcap, 5-2, Sunday afternoon at Anderson Memorial Stadium.

Anderson moved to 11-11 overall and 5-4 in the league, while Lincoln Memorial slipped to 12-11 and 4-5 SAC.

Game #1
LMU 1, Anderson 0

Lincoln Memorial starting pitcher Andy Fennell was nearly perfect in the opener, as the right-handed junior issued just one walk and limited the Trojans to a fifth-inning single over the seven-inning span. Fennell also recorded four strikeouts.

The Trojan combination of starting hurler Brett Campbell and Marsh Kowalski was nearly as solid, as the duo scattered four hits and surrendered just one run in the pitcher's duel. Campbell struck out five Railsplitters and walked five in five full innings, while Kowalski recorded a strikeout and gave up two walks over two innings.

LMU capitalized on back-to-back walks to open the second inning and junior Gelsen Perez followed with a single to center field, scoring Brett Crawford from second with the lone run of the contest.

Fennell was perfect through 4 1/3 innings, before Anderson first baseman Erick Sanderson broke up the no-hitter with a single to center field. But the sophomore was erased on an inning-ending double play two batters later.

AU freshman Zach Reeves reached base with a one-out walk in the bottom of the sixth frame, but the Trojans were unable to capitalize, as he was left stranded at third.

The Trojans threatened again in their final at-bat, as second baseman Ryan Saxon was hit by an errant pitch with one out and moved into scoring position when Tony Price reached first after the LMU catcher was unable to corral the third strike., but Fennell induced Jonathan Romano to fly out to right for the final out.

Game #2
Anderson 5, LMU 2

The Trojans were beneficiaries of more standout pitching performances in the nightcap, as Sanderson moved to the mound and tossed six innings, while surrendering six hits and giving up just two runs and striking out six Railsplitters. Freshman right-hander Jacob Saxon did not give up a hit in an inning of relief to close out the game.

Sanderson helped his own cause in the second inning by blasting his team-leading fifth home run of the season over the center field fence, evening the score at 1-1 after LMU notched the first run of the game in the top of the frame.

The Railsplitters regained a brief 2-1 advantage with an unearned run in the third, but Anderson countered with a pair of runs in the bottom of the third to take the lead for good. Reeves led off by beating out an infield single and moved into scoring position by swiping his third stolen b base of the season. He scored two batters later when junior Thomas Padro lifted a single to center and Ryan Saxon's clutch two-out double to left-center plated Padro with the go-ahead run.

Sanderson and Jacob Saxon kept LMU scoreless the rest of the way, while the Trojans added a pair of insurance runs in the fifth inning.

Sanderson finished the contest 2-for-2, with a walk, a home run and two RBI, while Ryan Saxon and Reeves were both 2-for-3. Saxon also recorded two RBI.

Anderson gets back in action with a midweek contest when Erskine invades Anderson Memorial Stadium on Wednesday. The Trojans will be looking to avenge an earlier 6-0 loss to the Flying Fleet, with first-pitch scheduled for 6 p.m.