ORANGEBURG, S.C. – Despite dropping the first game of a rare mid-week doubleheader, the Anderson University (13-6) baseball team was able to bounce back in the second contest of the day to defeat Claflin (5-9-1) by a 15-4 margin, following their 8-7 defeat, on Tuesday, March 4.
Sophomore Zach Stover (Powdersville, S.C.) had a solid performance in the opener, going 2-for-4 at the dish with four RBIs. Graduate Kyle Caccamise (Hopewell Junction, N.Y.) added a trio of hits in the first game as well. Sophomore Ben Bullard (Mount Pleasant, S.C.) and sophomore Hudson Wilson (Boiling Springs, S.C.) each tallied a trio of RBIs in the nightcap while junior Gray Wells (Chapin, S.C.) added a pair as well.
Sophomore Corben Childers (Spartanburg, S.C.) picked up the win in the second game of the day while senior Jacob Ingram (Tallassee, Ala.) notched a save in the contest.
GAME ONE: Claflin 8, Anderson 7
The Trojans were able to jump out to an early start in the first game of the day, putting three runs on the board in the top of the first, but the Panthers responded with two runs in each of the first and fourth innings, while also adding another run in the second to hold the 5-3 advantage halfway through the match.
Anderson was able to swing the scoreline back into their favor in the sixth inning, plating four runs in the frame. However, the Panthers were able to respond in the bottom of the inning, tying the game up at 7. A passed ball in the eighth inning spelt doom for the Trojans as the Panthers walked off the game, 8-7.
GAME TWO: Anderson 15, Claflin 4
Claflin jumped out to a single run lead in the bottom of the first in the second game of the day, but Anderson put the pedal to the metal the rest of the way, outscoring the Panthers by a 15-3 margin over the final six innings of action.
The Trojans started with a pair of runs in the second, taking over the lead for good in the contest as they added nine runs to their score in the third and four more in the fourth to put the contest out of reach. Though Claflin was able to scratch across three runs in the sixth and seventh combined, the Anderson lead was too much for them to overcome, wrapping up the 15-4 victory.
The Trojans return to conference action this weekend as they make the trip to Wise, Va. to take on the Cavaliers of UVA Wise in a three-game league series, starting on Friday, March 7.
