ANDERSON, S.C. – The Anderson University (6-5, 1-3 SAC) exploded for 19 hits and 16 runs in the conference series opening contest against Mars Hill (4-10, 0-1 SAC) as the Trojans were able to run rule the Lions in eight innings, 16-6, to take the series lead on Friday, February 21.
Graduate Kyle Caccamise (Hopewell Junction, N.Y.) and sophomore Ben Bullard (Mount Pleasant, S.C.) each recorded four hits in the contest, with Bullard driving in three runs and Caccamise adding a pair to his credit. Junior Gray Wells (Chapin, S.C.), junior Braeden Harrison (Spartanburg, S.C.) and sophomore Carson Molinaroli (Summerville, S.C.) each added a pair of RBIs. Every member of the Anderson starting lineup crossed the plate at least once in the contest.
Sophomore Corben Childers (Spartanburg, S.C.) started the day off great with three innings of good work on the mound. While there were a couple additional pitchers on the mound for the Trojans throughout the contest, it was the arm of senior Jacob Ingram (Tallassee, Ala.) that shone through and lifted them to a victory as he pitched three and a third of scoreless baseball while striking out four batters along the way.
Neither team was able to put a run on the board in the opening two innings of action and it was the Lions who would add a run to the scoreboard first on the night with a single run in the third. The Trojans responded with a pair of runs in the bottom of the frame to swing the advantage to their side of the scoreline. However, Mars Hill exploded in the fourth inning for five runs to take over the lead, 6-3 after the Trojans added a run in the bottom half of the frame.
Anderson would go to work shutting down the Lions the rest of the way while starting to mount their comeback scoring two runs in the sixth and another run in the seventh to tie the game up at six heading into the eighth inning. That's when the wheels fell off for the Lions defensively and a spark hit the Trojans offense as they were able to score ten runs on six hits and three errors, enacting the conference's 10-run rule and ending the contest early, 16-6.
The two teams return to action tomorrow as they wrap up the conference series with a double header starting at 1:00 p.m.
