Box score
ANDERSON, S.C. - The Anderson University baseball team earned a
split with Lenoir-Rhyne in South Atlantic Conference action
Saturday afternoon at Anderson Memorial Stadium, dropping game one,
10-6, but rallying for a 9-8 win in the nightcap.
Anderson improved to 9-21 overall and 3-12 in the league, while
Lenoir-Rhyne moved to 9-23 overall and 5-10 in the conference.
Game #1
Lenoir-Rhyne 10, Anderson 6
Junior Tony Price was a perfect 2-for-2 with a pair of singles and
scored once after entering the game in the seventh inning, while
senior third baseman Blake May finished the opener with two singles
in three trips to the plate and drove in a run, while scoring once.
Sophomore Paul Como notched a double and two singles and recorded a
pair of RBI in five at-bats.
Anderson freshman Landon Beck (1-5) absorbed the loss while
giving up seven runs off 10 hits in three innings of work.
L-R junior Jared Carroll collected the win, going 6 2/3 innings
and surrendering six runs off 11 hits.
The Bears jumped on top early, scoring a solo run in the top of
the first inning, with Mike Gasque and Stephen Arcieri starting the
game with back-to-back singles through the left side. Both runners
moved up on a sacrifice bunt and Gasque scored on a one-out
fielder's choice.
The Trojans countered with a run in the bottom of the frame to
even the score when May singled through the left side, moved to
second on an errant pickoff attempt and crossed the plate on the
first of Como's two singles.
But Lenoir-Rhyne responded with four runs in the second and two
in the third to claim a 7-1 lead after three innings. The Bears
tacked on two more runs in the fifth and another in the sixth,
boosting their advantage to 10-1 before Anderson sent 10 batters to
the plate in the seventh, rallying for five runs off six hits -
three going for extra bases.
The Trojans threatened in their final at-bat, loading the bases
to get the tying run to the plate with two outs, but were unable to
capitalize.
Game #2
Anderson 9, Lenoir-Rhyne 8
Senior Brett Scarberry was a perfect 4-for-4 as the designated
hitter in the nightcap, ripping three singles and a double, while
scoring twice and driving in three runs. May finished with two hits
in four at-bats and scored twice while driving in a run. Senior
Ryan Kirkland added a single and a double and recorded three RBI in
four at-bats, with sophomore Zach Reeves notching a pair of hits
and scoring a run.
Kirkland's one-out RBI single in the seventh inning scored
pinch-runner Jonathan Romano from second with the winning run as
the Trojans held off a late Lenoir-Rhyne rally for the dramatic 9-8
victory.
With the Trojans leading, 8-6, heading into the seventh and
final inning, L-R's Colton Hansley lifted a two-out two-run homer
over the center-field fence to knot the score. But Scarberry led
off the home half of the final inning with his fourth hit of the
contest, putting the winning run at first. AU head coach Joe Miller
put Romano in to pinch-run for Scarberry and following Tony Price's
sacrifice bunt that moved Romano into scoring position, Kirkland
came through with the game-winning single.
The Trojans' bats woke up early in the nightcap as AU erupted
for seven runs off eight hits and bolted to a 7-2 lead after just
two innings. But the Bears climbed within 7-6 by scoring four runs
in the third.
Anderson responded with an insurance run in the bottom of the
fourth and neither team was able to push a run across in the fifth
or sixth frames, setting up the late-inning heroics.
Erick Sanderson (1-4) earned his first win of the season, giving
up eight runs (three earned), while striking out two and walking
two to record his team-leading fourth complete game outing of the
campaign.
Sophomore Aaron Bentley (1-1) suffered the loss in relief,
surrendering two earned runs off six hits in 4 2/3 innings.
Anderson visits Peach Belt-opponent USC Aiken on Tuesday, with
first-pitch slated for 6 p.m.