GREENWOOD, S.C. - Senior Travis Smith and junior Matthew Powell combined for three hits, a walk and five RBI to propel Anderson to a 9-7 upset win over nationally 11th-ranked Lander in nonconference baseball action Wednesday night at Dolny Stadium.
Anderson improved to 18-24, while avenging a 24-3 setback to the Bearcats three weeks ago in the Electric City and knocked off Lander for the first time since earning a 4-1 win at Fluor Field in 2013. The Trojans handed the Bearcats just their fourth home loss of the season, as Lander fell to 32-11 on the season.
INSIDE THE BOX SCORE
Powell was 2-for-3 with three RBI, while Smith was 1-for-3 with a
pair of RBI. Outfielder Garrett Bernardo reached twice on a pair of
walks and scored both times.
Junior right-hander Thomas Smith (3-4) was one of seven Trojan hurlers to see action on the night and captured the win after allowing three runs on four hits in relief. He struck out two and walked one. Senior closer Brock Goodling earned his 11th save of the season while tossing the ninth inning. The right-hander gave up one hit, struck out two and walked one.
HOW IT HAPPENED
After being shut out through four innings, the Trojan bats came
alive in the fifth frame, as AU sent 14 batters to the plate and
erupted for nine runs in the inning to overcome a five-run
deficit.
The Trojans managed just one hit in the first four frames - a one-out single in the first by Kyle Bailey - while Lander scored a pair of runs in the second inning and added three more in the fourth to build the five-run cushion.
Lander chipped into the AU lead with a two-out run in the bottom of the sixth and another solo run in the bottom of the seventh, but would get no closer, as Mitchell Cooksey and Goodling combined to hold the Bearcats scoreless over the final two innings.
STAT OF THE NIGHT
The nine runs in the fifth inning marked the most runs scored by
either the Trojans or an opponent in an inning this season.
TROJAN NOTABLES
• The Trojans scored the nine runs on four hits and seven
walks.
• Senior Steven Cooper saw his four-game hitting streak
halted, but has reached base safely in 29 of his last 31 games,
while drawing a walk 18 times in his last 11 games.
• Freshman Carson Barrett had his seven-game hitting streak
snapped, but has gotten on base in 14 of his last 15 games, while
recording four multi-hit games in his last seven appearances.
• Sophomore Tyler Miller has reached safely in 15 of his last
16 games and 36 of his 40 games this season.
• Senior LJ Newman has recorded 18 hits in his last 10
games.
• Bernardo has driven in five runs in the last four games,
while reaching safely in 14-of-16 games.
• Senior Kyle Bailey extended his hitting streak to six games
and has four multi-hit games in the last eight contests.
• Goodling, who entered the game second in the nation with 10
saves on the season, has earned a save in six of his last seven
appearances out of the bullpen.
UP NEXT
Anderson opens a three-game South Atlantic Conference series at
Newberry on Friday. First-pitch is set for 6 p.m. at the Smith Road
Complex.
