BELMONT, N.C. – The Anderson baseball team used a big third inning to defeat Belmont Abbey, 8-6, in nonconference action Wednesday night at the Abbey Yard.

Anderson improved to 9-9 by defeating the Crusaders for the second time this season and has won three of its last five decisions, while Belmont Abbey fell to 9-11 with its fifth loss in its last six outings.

INSIDE THE BOX SCORE
Junior Cody Adams was 3-for-5 on the day, with two singles and a two-run triple and also reached base on a walk. Sophomore Will O'Brien added a double and a pair of singles in five at-bats, while sophomore Tyler Berry posted his first homer of the year to go along with a single and a walk. Senior Jackson Strange was 2-for-5, with a double and an RBI-single.

Senior John McMicking improved to 1-1 on the season after tossing 1 2/3 innings of relief. The right-hander allowed one run on four hits, while striking out three and walking just one batter. Junior Christian Carpenter captured his sixth save of the season by working a perfect ninth inning in relief. He fanned one batter and did not issue a free pass.

HOW IT HAPPENED
Adams led off the contest with a single down the right-field line and scored AU's first run of the afternoon on Strange's single through the left side.

The Trojans sent 11 batters to the plate in the third inning and capitalized on three singles, a double, a triple and a walk en route to scoring six runs with two outs and taking a lead they would not relinquish.

Belmont Abbey countered with a three-run bottom half of the inning, while AU claimed an 8-3 advantage in the fourth inning when Berry ripped a solo home run over the fence in right field. The Crusaders scored once in the fourth and again in the fifth and seventh innings to set the final score.

ANDERSON STAT OF THE GAME
The Trojan pitching staff allowed just one hit over the final four innings.

NOTABLES
• Head Coach Joe Miller earned the 500th win of his career.
• Chandler Castleberry and Tyler Berry have each reached base safely in eight straight games.
• AU out-hit the Crusaders, 12-10.
• The two teams combined to strand 23 runners.
• The six-run third inning was AU's second-highest scoring inning of the season.

UP NEXT
The Trojans are slated to get back in South Atlantic Conference action this weekend with a three-game set at Catawba. First-pitch in Salisbury, N.C., is scheduled for Friday at 6 p.m.