AUGUSTA, Ga. - Trojan middle infielders Xavier Peralta and Kyle Bailey combined for six hits, including a double, an RBI and a run scored, but the Anderson baseball team opened a five-game road swing by dropping a nonconference doubleheader with Augusta, 17-6 and 4-3, Saturday afternoon at Lake Olmstead Stadium.

Anderson slipped to 1-3 on the young season, while Augusta improved to 6-1 with its sixth straight win.

Game #1
Augusta 17, Anderson 6
Freshman Carson Barrett was a perfect 2-for-2 off the bench for the Trojans in the opener, while also crossing the plate once. Peralta was 3-for-4, with a double and a pair of singles and drove in a run, while Stephen McKnight was 1-for-3 with a two-run single in the eighth. Bailey added a pair of singles and scored once.

Junior Ryan Owens (0-1) absorbed the loss for AU after surrendering seven runs on seven hits, while issuing two walks in an inning of work.

Augusta posted six runs in each of the first two innings to put the game out of reach early. The Jaguars added a solo run in the third frame, with Anderson getting one of the runs back in the fourth when Tyler Miller led off with a double and scored on Steven Cooper's fielder's choice.

Travis Smith drew a one-out walk in the top of the fifth inning, with Peralta bringing him home with a one-out single for AU's second run. Augusta added a pair of runs in both the fifth and sixth innings to gain a 17-2 advantage before the Trojans scored four times in the eighth inning.

Game #2
Augusta 4, Anderson 3
Junior Steven Cooper was 2-for-4 at the plate, while sophomores Michael Rochester and Mason Covey each belted their first home runs of the season.

Junior right-hander Thomas Smith suffered the setback after giving up two runs on three hits in 2 2/3 innings of relief. He fanned three and did not issue a free pass.

The Trojans struck first in the nightcap, as Rochester clubbed a lead-off homer in the second inning, with Augusta quickly answering with two runs in the bottom of the frame.

AU regained the lead in the fourth inning on Covey's two-out, two-run homer that also plated Zach McIIroy.

The score remained the same until the Jaguars scored a pair of unearned runs in the bottom of the eighth inning and the Trojans were unable to score in the ninth. McIIroy ripped a one-out single and moved into scoring position on a wild pitch, but Augusta's Frank Warren retired the last two Trojan batters for his first save of the year.

The Trojans and Jaguars wrap up their three-game set Sunday afternoon, with first-pitch scheduled for 1 p.m.