ANDERSON, S.C. – Late-inning heroics in both ends of the season-opening doubleheader lifted the Anderson University baseball team to a sweep of Bluefield State, 4-3 and 6-5, Saturday afternoon at Memorial Stadium.

INSIDE THE BOX SCORE
Game #1
Anderson 4, Bluefield State 3 (10 innings)
Shortstop Kye Andress was 3-for-6 in his debut with the Black and Gold, with three singles, including the game-inning hit in the bottom of the 10th inning, while second baseman James LeGrand added a pair of singles, a walk and scored a run in five plate appearances. Catcher Carlos Hernandez was also 2-for-4 at the plate, with a single and a seventh-inning double. Sophomore Brayden Owens was 1-for-3 in the opener, with a single and a walk.

PITCHERS
Four Trojan hurlers combined to limit Bluefield State to one hit – a second-inning single. Joseph Cottone drew the start and allowed just one run over five innings of work on the mound, while striking out seven batters and walking just two batters. Junior Jackson Herring collected the win after working the final 1.1 innings and fanning two batters, while issuing one free pass.

Game #2
Anderson 6, Bluefield State 5
Pinch-hitter Jaxon Young was 1-for-1 with the game-winning, one-out triple to the gap in right-center in the bottom of the seventh inning. First baseman Nick Vella was 2-for-3 in the nightcap, with a pair of singles and a walk, while Justin Fox was 2for-4, with two singles and a pair of runs scored. Jackson Van Ness was 1-for-3 with a fourth-inning double.

PITCHERS
Kaleb King tossed a perfect inning of relief in the sixth frame, while sophomore Alexander Maurer was the beneficiary of Young's heroics and garnered the win after allowing two runs on two hits and walking a pair of batters in the top of the seventh inning.

HOW IT HAPPENED
Game 1
Owens drove in Andress with a two-out single in the bottom of the first inning for the game's first run , with Bluefield State knotting the score with a solo run in the top of the second frame.

The Trojans answered with another run to regain the lead, when Fox was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded in the bottom of the third frame. AU added a run in the bottom of the eighth when Vella bounced into a fielder's choice that plated Van Ness, who had belted a one-out double.

But the Big Blue countered with two unearned runs in the top of ninth to force extra innings. Jacob Peake pinch hit with one out and reached base when the Bluefield State left-fielder was unable to corral his fly ball to left-center. Shane Thomas was called on to pinch-run for Peake and promptly stole second. Andress followed by bouncing back up the middle and Bluefield State shortstop Brayden Merrick made a stellar stop, but the Big Blue was unable to get Andress at first base, as Thomas crossed home plate.

Game 2
The Trojans scored three runs in the first two innings, with Bluefield State closing within one with a pair of runs in the top of the third.

AU opened a 5-2 advantage with two more runs in the bottom of the fourth, while the Big Blue scored a solo run in the top of the fifth to close within 5-3 and tied the score with two more runs in the top of the seventh.

Fox led off the home half of the seventh with a single through the left side and with one out, Young laced a triple to the wall in right-center that brought Fox all the way around from first with the game-winning run.

ANDERSON STAT OF THE DAY
Anderson out-hit the Big Blue, 20-7, on the afternoon.

NOTABLES
• AU was a perfect 4-for-4 in stolen bases on the day.
• The Trojans ripped seven extra-base hits.
• The two teams combined to commit nine errors.

UP NEXT
The Trojans and Big Blue will wrap up the three-game set, Sunday afternoon. First-pitch at Memorial Stadium is set for 2 p.m.