ANDERSON, S.C. - Sophomore Erick Sanderson belted his team-leading ninth home run of the season and reliever Riley McDermott tossed a hitless ninth inning for his second save, as Anderson outlasted Erskine, 7-6, in non-conference baseball action Monday night at Anderson Memorial Stadium.
In the midst of a season-high 10-game homestand, Anderson (17-23) snapped a brief two-game skid, while handing Erskine (24-13) just its second loss in its last eight outings.
A trio of juniors led the Trojans at the plate, as shortstop Thomas Padro, third baseman Blake May and right fielder Ryan Kirkland each posted three hits on the night, with May adding two RBI. Sanderson's homer to lead off the seventh inning cleared the fence in left center.
Templeton improved to 2-0 on the season after earning his second win in the last 12 days on the mound. The senior right-hander scattered 11 hits over 7 2/3 innings and gave up six runs, four earned, while allowing just one Flying Fleet batter to reach second base through the first four innings. Senior Justin Rogers faced two batters in relief to close out the eighth inning before McDermott entered in the ninth.
The Trojans worked Erskine starter Taylor Britain for four runs off six hits in four innings, saddling him with the loss. Sophomore Taylor Wall allowed three runs, all earned, off five hits over the next 2 1/3 frames for the Flying Fleet.
Anderson opened the scoring in its half of the first inning with an unearned run, then added another score in the third.
The Trojans built a 4-0 cushion with a pair of runs in the fourth inning, as Kirkland led off with a single to left and moved into scoring position on Jonathan Romano's sacrifice bunt. Freshman catcher Troy Ambros followed with his first double of the season to plate Kirkland and Padro ripped a two-out single to left to score Ambros from third.
The Flying Fleet got on the scoreboard with a solo run in the fifth, but AU answered with a run of its own in the bottom of the frame, holding a 5-1 edge after five innings.
Erskine added another run following a lead-off triple from senior Shawn Glover, but the Trojans countered with a pair of runs, the first coming on Sanderson's home run. Tony Price recorded a one-out single and scored what turned out to be the winning run on a fielder's choice three batters latter.
The Fleet sent eight batters to the plate in the eighth and scored four runs before Rogers came out of the bullpen to record the final out of the inning.
Anderson will get back on the diamond Thursday when the Trojans welcome Belmont Abbey to Memorial Stadium with first-pitch slated for 6 p.m.
