ANDERSON, S.C. – After winning the season-opening series with King over the weekend, the Anderson University baseball team will wrap up its five-game homestand by welcoming North Greenville and Young Harris to Memorial Stadium for a pair of midweek games, Tuesday and Wednesday.
First-pitch for both games is set for 3 p.m. Admission to Trojan baseball games is $5 - students, faculty and staff, along with members of the Trojan Club are admitted free of charge.
WHO: North Greenville Crusaders (1-1) at Anderson Trojans (2-1)
WHERE: Anderson Memorial Stadium
WHEN: Tuesday, 3 p.m.
COVERAGE
Live Stats: AUTROJANS.COM
Video: N/A
WHO: Young Harris Mountain Lions (0-3) at Anderson Trojans (2-1)
WHERE: Anderson Memorial Stadium
WHEN: Wednesday, 3 p.m.
COVERAGE
Live Stats: AUTROJANS.COM
Video: N/A
THE TROJANS
Anderson is 2-1 on the young season after taking the weekend series with King.
Freshman Chase Stephens was 4-for-10 with an RBI over the weekend, while sophomore Matthew Overton went 2-for-5 at the plate and recorded three walks. Leadoff hitter William Thomas and senior Tyler Miller each added four hits in the series, with Thomas notching a pair of sacrifice bunts and Miller driving in four runs.
LAST TIME OUT
The Trojans outlasted King, 9-8, in extra innings Friday night, rallying with a run in the bottom of the 10th inning for the win. Sophomore Joseph Strange's one-out infield single plated Miller with the winning run, while sophomore Christian Carpenter captured the win in relief by tossing a scoreless ninth and 10th innings. He struck out three batters and walked two.
Stellar performances on the mound propelled the Trojans to a 2-0 shutout in the first game of last Saturday's twin bill, as junior Will Gee posted a gem in his first outing with the Trojans. He earned the win after allowing just three hits and no runs in seven innings of work. The right-hander struck out eight and walked just one. Sophomore Coby Smith tossed an inning of relief, while walking one and striking out one. Junior Matthew Stanley collected the save after working the ninth inning in relief and fanning two batters.
Freshman Chandler Castleberry notched a double and a walk in the opener, while Overton recorded a pair of walks and scored one of the two Trojan runs. Freshman Will Lindsey reached on a walk and scored the other run. Freshman Tyler Berry reached base on a single and a walk and drove in a run.
Castleberry added a walk and a single in the nightcap, with Stephens going 1-for-3 with a fifth-inning single. Thomas and Miller each posted a single, but the Trojans were unable to push a run across the plate in the 4-0 setback.
SCOUTING THE CRUSADERS
North Greenville was tabbed to finish third in the Conference Carolinas' Preseason Coaches' Poll after setting a program record with 38 victories last season and posting a 38-15 overall record. NGU finished second behind Mount Olive with a 20-7 mark in conference play.
North Greenville was ranked ninth in the National College Baseball Writers Association (NCBWA) Preseason Regional poll and began the season ranked 22nd in the Perfect Game NCAA Division II Preseason Top 25 poll.
Senior pitcher Tucker Burgess was a Preseason All-Southeast Region First Team selection after earning all-conference and all-region honors following last season. The right-hander from Liberty, S.C. posted a 9-1 record last season and finished with a 2.56 earned run average.
After opening the season by hammering Paine College, 23-0, in Milledgeville, Ga., the Crusaders (1-1) were shut out by Georgia College, 7-0.
THE SERIES vs. NORTH GREENVILLE
The Trojans and Crusaders have met 37 times since the 1998 season, with the Trojans holding a 20-17 advantage in the all-time series. The two teams have split the regular-season series in each of the last three seasons and have defended their home field in each of the last two years.
SCOUTING THE MOUNTAIN LIONS
Young Harris was tabbed to finish 11th in the Peach Belt Conference Preseason Coaches' Poll after posting a 15-30 overall record a year ago and finishing 12th with a 7-17 mark in conference play.
Senior right-handed hurler Michael Livingston was named to the (NCBWA) All-Southeast Region Preseason Second Team. Livingston went 6-3 last season and was named Second-team All-Peach Belt Conference with a 3.19 earned run average in 12 starts.
THE SERIES vs. YOUNG HARRIS
The Trojans and Mountain Lions have met just four times in school history, with AU leading the all-time series, 3-1. The first-ever meeting between the two programs occurred during the 2016 campaign.
UP NEXT
The Trojans have a five-day layoff before traveling to Belmont Abbey on Tuesday, Feb. 13.
