ANDERSON, S.C. - A three-run eighth-inning rally lifted Anderson to an 8-6 win past Mars Hill in the opening contest of a three-game South Atlantic Conference weekend series Friday night at Memorial Stadium.

Anderson improved to 6-21 overall and 2-11 in the conference by snapping a nine-game skid, while Mars Hill (6-15, 4-7) had its win streak halted at three.

Anderson freshman Steven Cooper was 2-for-3 on the night, with a triple and scored a run, while catcher Jonathan Zalud added a pair of singles and drove in a run while scoring once. Junior Josh Hickman posted two hits and scored twice while driving in a run. Junior Paul Como was 2-for-4 and crossed the plate once, with sophomore Nathan Galliford recording four RBI.

Junior right-hander Kyle Francis (2-3) earned the win with an inning of scoreless relief, while surrendering two hits and striking out a pair of Lions. Sophomore Landon Beck earned his team-leading fourth save of the season by retiring the Lions in the ninth.

Phillip Carroll led MHC at the plate going 3-for-4 with a triple, an RBI and a run scored. Tyler Shuler, Thomas Timmerman and Evan Rogers recorded two hits apiece in the loss. Nick Villalobos suffered the loss (0-1) in relief.

The Lions jumped out to a 4-0 lead in the fourth inning on three hits and two Trojan miscues. Timmerman, Tommy Scala and Rogers had RBI singles in the at-bat.

A sacrifice fly from Nathan Galilford drove in Chris Ayers to put Anderson on the board in the bottom half of the inning.

The Trojans scored two runs in both the fifth and sixth innings to take a 5-4 lead. RBI triples from Scala and Rogers in the seventh frame allowed the Lions to regain a 6-5 lead.

After holding the Trojans scoreless in the bottom of the seventh, Anderson rallied to score three runs in the eighth inning on two hits and one Lion error to obtain the 8-6 victory.

Junior Harrison Monda sparked the comeback with a one-out single and Hickman followed with a walk, while Ayers followed to load the bases.

Galliford's grounder to second was misplayed, allowing Monda to cross the plate with the tying run and Hickman scored the go-ahead run. Two batters later, sophomore Ryan Mills singled up the middle to plate Ayers with an insurance run.

Beck tossed the ninth inning for the Trojans, striking out the first two batters and following a walk, he induced Matt Mayo to bounce into a fielders' choice to Ayers at shortstop for the final out.

The two teams are slated to close out the three-game series with a Saturday afternoon doubleheader. First-pitch is 1 p.m. at Memorial Stadium.