MARS HILL, N.C. – A pair of big innings propelled Mars Hill past Anderson, 8-5, in South Atlantic Conference baseball action, Friday afternoon at Henderson Field.

Anderson (15-11, 2-8 SAC) scored three runs in the top of the eighth inning, but it wasn't enough to overcome an earlier six-run deficit, as the Trojans suffered their seventh setback in eight decisions. Mars Hill (12-16, 6-6 SAC) snapped a three-game skid and improved to 8-3 at home on the season.

INSIDE THE BOX SCORE
Jaxon Young was 2-for-4 at the plate, with a single and an RBI-double and also reached base on an eighth-inning walk, while scoring a pair of runs. JC LeGrand added a pair of singles and crossed the plate once. Justin Fox posted a pair of doubles in five at-bats.

Joseph Cottone (3-2) took the loss after allowing eight runs (one earned) in six full innings of work on the mound. He struck out three and walked two. Reliever Kaleb King tossed the final two innings and limited the Lions to just one single, while fanning four batters and issuing just one free pass.

HOW IT HAPPENED
Mars Hill jumped out to a quick three-run lead by scoring three unearned runs in the bottom of the first inning, with the Trojans answering by capitalizing on back-to-back singles by Young and LeGrand and a sacrifice bunt by Kevin Sosa.

The Lions added another run on a two-out homer by catcher Ruden Trillo in the bottom of the second inning, with AU again posting a run by taking advantage of doubles by Fox and Young to cut the deficit to 4-2 following the top of the third inning.

Following a scoreless fourth and fifth frames, Mars Hill broke the game open with four unearned runs in the bottom of the sixth inning. The Trojans countered by posting three runs in the top of the eighth and battling back to within 8-5, but they were unable to get any closer after going down in order in their final at-bat.

ANDERSON STAT OF THE DAY
The Trojans were 4-for-9 at the plate leading off each inning.

NOTABLES
• The Trojans and Lions have met on 35 occasions, with Anderson leading the all-time series, 22-13. The first-ever meeting between the two programs occurred during the 2007 campaign.
• Anderson has won two of the last four meetings and five of the last eight, with Mars Hill winning the last two matchups.
• James LeGrand and James Hanvey are each riding three-game hitting streaks heading into Saturday's twin bill.
• LeGrand has reached base safely in eight straight games.

UP NEXT
The Trojans and Lions are slated to wrap up the conference series with a Saturday afternoon doubleheader. First-pitch at Henderson Field is set for noon.