ANDERSON, S.C. – With freshman Kevin Sosa charging down the line from third, sophomore Justin Fox laid down a bunt to the right side that allowed Sosa to score the go-ahead run in the seventh inning and senior Christian Carpenter tossed a career-high six shutout innings to lift the Anderson baseball team to a 5-4 win in the nightcap after falling, 2-0, in the first game of a South Atlantic Conference doubleheader with Lenoir-Rhyne, Sunday afternoon at Memorial Stadium.

"(Christian) Carpenter put the team on his back today," said Anderson head coach P.J. Zocchi. "Carp is the ultimate team guy - on and off the field. He's one of the best leaders and competitors I've been around."

Anderson improved to 9-11 overall and 7-9 in league action by snapping a three-game skid, while handing Lenoir-Rhyne (14-7, 11-5 SAC) just its second loss in 13 decisions.

INSIDE THE BOX SCORE
Game #1
Lenoir-Rhyne 2, Anderson 0
The Trojans posted just three hits in the opener with only two runners reaching third base. Designated hitter Trevor Weisner notched one of AU's three singles and also reached on a first-inning walk, with Fox and catcher Tyler Berry also adding singles.

Sophomore Joseph Cottone, Jr. (1-2) suffered the hard-luck loss, while tossing the Trojans' first complete game of the season. The left-hander scattered just four hits, while allowing two runs. He struck out three and walked three.

Game #2
Anderson 5, Lenoir-Rhyne 4
In addition to getting the game-winning RBI, Fox also had a one-out RBI-triple in the sixth inning, while senior Cody Adams went 1-for-2 in the nightcap, with a single and a pair of walks. Weisner added a single and a walk in four trips to the plate, with senior Nick Vella driving in a run with a single in the pivotal sixth inning.

Sophomore hurler Ethan Stalnecker drew the starting nod in the nightcap and gave up four runs on four hits in three innings of work on the mound. He struck out one and issued one free pass. Carpenter (2-1) tossed a career-high six full innings in relief, while scattering three singles. The right-hander fanned four Bears and walked just one.

HOW IT HAPPENED
Game 1
Lenoir-Rhyne third baseman Wade Cuda did the damage in the opener, as the Orlando, Fla., native scored both runs for the Bears. One in the second inning after reaching base on a fielder's choice and stealing second – and one in the fourth frame after reaching base on a single and stealing second base.

Game 2
The Bears sent seven batters to the plate and scored three times in the top of the first inning, with AU getting one of the runs back in the bottom of the inning. Adams led off with the first of his two walks, swiped second base, moved to third when Fox bounced out to the right side and crossed the late with the L-R pitcher was called for a balk.

L-R built a 4-1 advantage with a solo run in the top of the third, but it was the last time that a Bear would cross the plate, as Carpenter entered the contest in the top of the fourth and limited L-R to three singles and a walk over the final six innings. The Trojans sliced the L-R lead in half by taking advantage of back-to-back one-out singles by Jacob Kohns and Adams, with Kohns stealing second, stealing second and eventually scoring on a wild pitch.

AU knotted the score at 4-4 with a pair of runs in the sixth, when Weisner beat out an infield single and scored on Fox's triple to the gap in right-center. Fox then crossed the plate on Nick Vella's single to center.

Sosa led off the seventh inning with a walk and advanced to second on a wild pitch. Two batters later he moved to third on another wild pitch, with Adams and Weisner each drawing walks to load the bases with one out. With Sosa bolting toward home, Fox laid down a bunt to the right side and was tagged out as Sosa crossed the plate with the eventual winning run.

STAT OF THE DAY
The two teams combined for just 19 hits on the day – and just four of those were for extra bases.

NOTABLES
• The Trojans are 24-of-29 in stolen bases this season, with Fox pacing the team with 10 steals.
• Dalton Shaw, Justin Fox and Trevor Weisner are all riding three-game hitting streaks.
• Chandler Castleberry has reached base safely in 10 straight games.
• Lenoir-Rhyne holds a 24-12 advantage in the overall series that began in 2009.

UP NEXT
Following a five-day layoff, the Trojans are slated to visit UVA Wise for another four-game SAC series.