GAFFNEY, S.C. - The Anderson University baseball team blasted a season-high three home runs, but it was not enough as Limestone outlasted the Trojans 9-6 Tuesday afternoon at Bob Prevatte Field.

Limestone improved to 19-10 on the season and avenged an earlier 4-3 setback to the Trojans, who fell to 13-18.

Tied 2-2 after an inning and a half, the Saints scored four runs in the bottom of the second to grab a 6-2 cushion. LC junior third baseman Zach Howard worked a full count walk to load the bases with no outs before junior centerfielder Al Benson cleared the bags with a three-run triple to the gap in right center, staking LC to a 5-2 advantage. Senior shortstop David Christy gave the Blue and Gold a four-run margin in the next at-bat, scoring Benson with a sacrifice fly to centerfield.

A power surge then ripped through Bob Prevatte Field during the third and fourth innings as both teams combined to hit four home runs over the next two frames. Blake May and Erick Sanderson recorded solo homers in the third to pull the Trojans to within 6-4 before Limestone freshman leftfielder Chad Balderman hit his fourth home run of the season to start the bottom of the stanza. Maloney then recorded a two-run shot in the fourth to give the Saints a 9-4 cushion.

With both starters out of the game, relief pitching put up zeros over the next few innings until Anderson's Ryan Saxon hit a ball to stay that stayed just inside the left-field pole in the seventh for a two-run home run, cutting the visitors' deficit to 9-6. That would be as close as the Trojans would get, however, as junior setup man Andrew Thompson tossed a scoreless eighth before Culp closed the door on a 9-6 decision in the ninth with a 6-4-3 double play.

Anderson scored first on an infield RBI hit by Saxon. The Saints responded with two runs in the bottom of the frame, getting an RBI triple by senior second baseman Micah Robinson (DeLand, Fla.) followed by a double down the left-field line from Maloney to stake the home team to a 2-1 lead. A run-scoring single by Reeves in the top of the second knotted the affair at 2-2 before the Blue and Gold broke through with four runs in their half of the second.

Ryan Saxon paced the Trojans' offense with a 2-for-3 effort at the plate, recording his third home run of the season to go with three RBI and a run scored, while May added two hits, including a his first round-tripper of the season and added an RBI and two runs scored. Reeves and Sanderson each contributed a pair of base hits, with Sanderson adding a home run. Thomas Padro tallied a fifth-inning double.

Ben Roberts suffered the setback, allowing six runs, five earned, on five hits and three walks over 1 1/3 innings. Riley McDermott allowed three runs on four hits and a walk in 2 2/3 innings of work. Elliot Tolley threw a perfect two innings of relief.
Limestone junior catcher Joe Maloney went 2-for-4 with a double, home run and three RBI and sophomore closer Cameron Culp picked up his seventh save of the season.
Maloney led the Saints with a pair of extra base hits and three RBIs while Benson also chipped in three RBIs with a triple. Micah Robinson finished with a double and a triple to go with two RBIs and Balderman tallied two hits, a homerun and an RBI. Christy added a hit and an RBI.

Normally in the lineup as a rightfielder, it was junior Jeremy Peed collecting the win after going 4 2/3 innings in relief. He allowed two runs on three hits while striking out four. Senior starter Jordan Robinson was given a no-decision after allowing four runs on seven hits in 2 1/3 innings on the mound.

Anderson is back in action Wednesday evening at Southern Wesleyan.