DAHLONEGA, Ga. – The Anderson University baseball team dropped a 19-5 nonconference decision to nationally top-ranked North Georgia, Wednesday night at Bob Stein Stadium.
Anderson fell to 12-28 on the season, while North Georgia (30-7) improved to 20-4 at home with its sixth consecutive win.
INSIDE THE BOX SCORE
Senior Xavier Peralta and junior Tyler Miller combined for five of AU's eight hits on the night, with Miller posting three singles and a stolen base. Peralta was 2-for-4 with a home run and a pair of RBI, while sophomore Carson Barrett posted a double and scored a run. Junior William Thomas added a single, a walk and drove in a run, with freshman Avery Green reaching base on a single and a walk.
Junior left-hander Nick Contafio (0-3) absorbed the loss with 2/3 of an inning in relief. He surrendered two runs on two hits.
HOW IT HAPPENED
The Trojans threatened in the top of the first when Green reached on a two-base error with one out and moved to third when Thomas grounded out to the right side of the infield, but he was stranded at third.
North Georgia took an early 1-0 lead on a one-out home run in the bottom of the first by the Nighthawk's Connor Hoover – his 11th of the season, while the Trojans answered when Peralta knotted the score at one apiece with his first homer of the season – a two-out blast high over the left-field fence - in the top of the second.
The Nighthawks quickly regained a 3-1 advantage behind a pair of doubles and a passed ball in the bottom of the second inning, with AU climbing within 3-2 when Barrett went the opposite way for a two-out double to left center and scored when Peralta singled to center in the top of the fourth. North Georgia got the run back in the bottom of the inning, then erupted for a dozen runs in the bottom of the fifth inning to put the game out of reach.
The Trojans got two on with one out in the top of the eighth when Green and Thomas drew back-to-back walks and freshman Dillon Carpenter was hit by a pitch to load the bases. Green scored the Trojans' third run when freshman Joseph Strange bounced into a fielder's choice.
North Georgia added three runs in the bottom of the eighth on the strength of three consecutive singles to lead off the frame, a bounce out to the right side and a single back up the middle with two outs.
The Trojans loaded the bases in their final at-bat, with Thomas driving in a run by beating out an infield single and Carpenter followed with a walk to plate another run and set the final score.
UP NEXT
Anderson will wrap up its road schedule by visiting Winston-Salem State for a three-game nonconference set this weekend. The Trojans and Rams will square off in a doubleheader Friday afternoon at 3 p.m. and a single contest Saturday at 1 p.m.
