ANDERSON, S.C. – The Anderson University baseball team opened a brief two-game nonconference homestand with a 12-2 setback to Emmanuel, Tuesday afternoon at Memorial Stadium.
Anderson slipped to 5-14 on the season with its sixth consecutive loss, while Emmanuel (10-10) defeated the Trojans for the second time this season.
INSIDE THE BOX SCORE
Junior Zach McIlroy notched two of the Trojans' hits on the afternoon, with a pair of singles and scored a run, while classmate Tyler Miller added a double and crossed the plate once. Senior Stephen McKnight reached base three times in four trips to the plate with a pair of walks and was hit by a pitch.
Freshman Christian Carpenter (1-2) suffered the loss after giving up five runs on six hits in four innings of work. The right-hander struck out two and did not issue a walk.
HOW IT HAPPENED
The Lions capitalized on a single and a run-scoring double in the top of the first inning to gain a quick 1-0 lead, before Miller led off the bottom of the frame with his fourth double of the season and came around to score when McIlroy and junior William Thomas both bounced out to the left side of the infield.
Emmanuel added a pair of runs in the third inning and put the game out of reach with a seven-run fifth inning en route to building a 10-1 advantage.
The Lions pushed out to an 11-1 lead with another run in the top of the sixth, with AU countering with a solo run in the bottom of the inning. McIlroy and Thomas opened the frame with back-to-back singles, with McIlroy crossing the plate on freshman Dillon Carpenter's one-out single to left-center.
Emmanuel set the final score with another solo run in the top of the ninth.
STAT OF THE DAY
The two teams combined to strand 20 runners on the afternoon – Emmanuel (13), AU (7).
NOTABLES
• Thomas extended his hitting streak to five games with a sixth-inning single.
• Michael Rochester has reached base in six consecutive games after a fourth-inning walk.
UP NEXT
Anderson will get back on the diamond quickly, as Peach Belt Conference opponent-North Georgia invades Memorial Stadium for a 3 p.m. first-pitch on Wednesday.
