ANDERSON, S.C. – The Anderson University baseball team will travel to Alabama Huntsville for the first time in program history this weekend, with the Trojans looking to get back in the win column when they collide with the Chargers at Charger Park.
First-pitch for Saturday afternoon's twin bill, as well as Sunday's contest is slated for 1 p.m.
WHO: Anderson Trojans (2-4) at Alabama Huntsville Chargers (1-3)
WHERE: Charger Park; Huntsville, Ala.
WHEN: Saturday, 1 p.m. / Sunday, 1 p.m.
COVERAGE
Live Stats: AUTROJANS.COM
Video: AUTROJANS.COM
THE TROJANS
Anderson is 2-4 on the young season and is looking to snap a four-game skid this weekend.
Freshman Will Lindsey has four hits, including a double, in 10 at-bats on the season and has drawn four walks in four games for a team-high .571 on-base percentage. Sophomore Matthew Overton is batting .385 on the season and leads the Trojans with five walks, with senior Tyler Miller pacing the squad with eight hits, including a pair of doubles, and has driven in a team-best four runs. The Anderson, S.C., native enters the weekend riding a six-game hitting streak. Jackson Strange has a three-game game hitting streak on the line while William Thomas, Chandler Castleberry and Chase Stephens have reached base safely in every game.
Junior Will Gee and Christian Carpenter have each captured a win on the mound, with Matthew Stanley earning a save during the season-opening series with King. Austin Todd paces the pitching staff with a dozen strikeouts in 9 1/3 innings tossed, while Gee is second on the squad with nine strikeouts.
LAST TIME OUT
The Trojans rallied from a three-run deficit, but Southern Wesleyan answered with a big seventh inning to defeat the Trojans, 8-4, Wednesday afternoon at Memorial Stadium.
Lindsey led the Trojans offense by going 3-for-4 on the afternoon, with a double and a pair of singles. The Hendersonville, N.C., native also drove in a run and scored once. Sophomore Dillon Carpenter added a single and walked twice, while crossing the plate once.
Sophomore right-hander Christian Carpenter (1-1) suffered the loss after allowing five runs on five hits, while striking out three and walking one in 2 2/3 innings of relief on the mound.
SCOUTING THE CHARGERS
Alabama Huntsville was tabbed to finish sixth in the Gulf South Conference Preseason Coaches' Poll, after posting a 24-26 overall record last season, including a 15-18 mark in conference play.
Infielder Tanner Burns and catcher AJ Walden earned Preseason All-GSC accolades. Burns was the squad's primary shortstop in 2017 with a .951 fielding percentage and .317 batting average, while Walden boasted a team-high 13 homers with a .313 batting average and 40 RBI.
The Chargers also had two players named to the GSC top newcomer list in Hunter Hood and Jack Stamper.
UAH (1-3) is coming off a 10-3 walloping of Kentucky Wesleyan in the nightcap of a doubleheader at Charger Park last Friday, and are in the midst of a season-opening seven-game homestand.
Walden was named Gulf South Conference Player of the Week earlier this week and right-handed pitcher Brooks Brophy earned GSC Freshman of the Week honors on Tuesday. Walden paced the Chargers at the plate in last Friday's doubleheader split with KWU, going 5-for-9 with two runs, a double, one homer and a team-high seven RBI. A native of Helena, Alabama, Brophy worked 2 2/3 scoreless innings of relief in the first game of the doubleheader with one hit allowed, a pair of strikeouts and zero walks. The right-hander has tossed 6 2/3 scoreless innings out of the bullpen to start his collegiate career.
THE SERIES vs. ALABAMA HUNTSVILLE
The three-game series will mark the first meetings between the two programs.
UP NEXT
AU opens a four-game homestand by playing host to Emmanuel on Tuesday, then welcomes South Atlantic Conference-foe Lenoir Rhyne to Anderson Memorial Stadium for a three-game weekend series.
First-pitch versus the Lions is slated for 3 p.m.