ANDERSON, S.C. – The Anderson University (17-14) baseball team dropped a midweek contest to Southern Wesleyan, 9-5, on Tuesday afternoon at home, despite recording 11 hits and multiple extra-base performances.
Southern Wesleyan struck early, plating four runs in the top of the first inning before Anderson could settle in. The Trojans responded in the second, cutting into the deficit with RBI contributions from Dom Bello (Orlando, Fla.) and Ben Bullard (Mount Pleasant, S.C.) to make it 4-2.
After the Warriors extended the lead to 6-2 in the third, Anderson continued to chip away. In the fifth inning, Adams Faucett (Spartanburg, S.C.) set the table with a single, and Braeden Harrison (Spartanburg, S.C.) delivered an RBI knock to bring the Trojans within four.
Southern Wesleyan added insurance runs in the sixth to stretch the margin to 9-3, but Anderson answered again in the seventh. Harrison sparked the inning with an RBI triple down the left field line, and Myles Denton (Brentwood, Tenn.) followed with a triple of his own to plate another run and trim the deficit to 9-5.
The Trojans threatened no further, as the Warriors' bullpen held Anderson scoreless over the final two innings.
Harrison led the offense with a 2-for-5 performance, including a triple and two RBIs. Denton also collected two hits, highlighted by his RBI triple, while Faucett and Zach Stover (Powdersville, S.C.) each added two hits. Bullard chipped in with a double and an RBI.
On the mound, Walker Noland (Marietta, Ga.) provided stability out of the bullpen, tossing 4.0 innings with six strikeouts while allowing two runs. Luke Godwin (Greenwood, S.C.) was effective late, holding Southern Wesleyan scoreless over the final four innings.
Anderson will look to bounce back in its upcoming conference series as they travel to Mars Hill, N.C. to take on the Lions in a three-game set starting on Friday, March 27.
