Trojans Take Series Opener with Coker

Trojans Take Series Opener with Coker

ANDERSON, S.C. – Strong offensive output in the middle innings and defensive gems from the left side of the infield helped the Anderson University baseball team claim an 8-2 win over Coker in South Atlantic Conference action, Friday night at Anderson Memorial Stadium.

Anderson improved to 6-12 overall and 3-4 in the conference with its second win in three outings, while Coker (9-9, 0-7 SAC) dropped its eighth consecutive decision.

INSIDE THE BOX SCORE
Freshman Chandler Castleberry was 2-for-4 on the night, with a single and an RBI-double in the first inning, while also reaching base on a fifth-inning walk. Junior Brandon Odachowski was 2-for-4, including a two-run homer in the fourth inning, and drove in another run with a two-out single in the fifth inning. Sophomore Alex Medlin added a single and a triple in four trips to the plate, while sophomore Dillon Carpenter homered in the fifth inning and also scored in the first inning.

Sophomore Christian Carpenter (2-3) collected the win after going four full innings in relief on the mound. The right-hander scattered three hits, while striking out four and walking two.

HOW IT HAPPENED
The Trojans opened the scoring with a run in the first inning when Carpenter reached on a fielder's choice and crossed the plate on Castleberry's double to the gap in left-center.

AU added two more in the bottom of the fourth on Odachowski's two-out, two-run shot over the fence in left-center and sent 10 batters to the plate in the decisive fifth inning, while scoring four times. The Trojans strung together five hits, including a triple by Medlin and Carpenter's home run to build their lead to 7-0 after five frames.

Senior William Thomas doubled and scored in the sixth to round out AU's scoring, while the Cobras avoided the shutout with a pair of two-out runs in the top of the eighth inning.

STAT OF THE NIGHT
The Trojans have homered in four consecutive games.

NOTABLES
• Carpenter's home run was his second of the season.
• Odachowski's home run was his third of the year.
• The two runs allowed were the second-fewest of the season – AU shut out King, 2-0, in the second game of the season.
• Castleberry extended his hitting streak to nine games and has reached base safely in every game this season.

UP NEXT
The Trojans and Cobras will wrap up their three-game set with a doubleheader, which is set for an 11 a.m. start on Saturday.