ANDERSON, S.C. - The Anderson baseball team opened a three-game weekend series with a 24-3 setback to defending Southeast Region Champion Catawba, in South Atlantic Conference action Friday night at Memorial Stadium.

Anderson fell to 7-14 overall and 2-5 in league play, while Catawba improved to 12-8 overall and 4-3 in the conference with its fourth straight win and fifth victory in its last six games.

Junior Avery Sneed came off the bench to go 2-for-2, with a pair of singles for the Trojans, while freshman Carson Barrett was 2-for-3 with a two singles and a pair of RBI.

Sophomore hurler Nic Contafio suffered the loss after surrendering nine runs (seven earned) in 2 1/3 innings of work. The left-hander struck out one and walked four.

The Indians scored in each of the first four innings, as they built a 17-3 advantage after four frames. Barrett scored AU's first run of the night in the second inning after ripping a one-out single up the middle and crossing the plate when the Catawba infield misplayed Xavier Peralta's grounder to the left side.

The Trojans capitalized on a pair of walks in the bottom of the third inning, as Barrett's single to center field plated both Kyle Bailey and Steven Cooper.

The Trojans and Indians are slated to wrap up their three-game series with a 1 p.m. twinbill at Memorial Stadium.