ANDERSON, S.C. – The Anderson University baseball team will be looking to snap a four-game skid when the Trojans square off against South Atlantic Conference opponent Tusculum in a three-game series this weekend. First-pitch versus the Pioneers in game one is slated for 6 p.m., Friday in Greeneville, Tenn.
WHO: Anderson Trojans (8-16, 5-7 SAC) at Tusculum Pioneers (12-14, 6-6 SAC)
WHERE: Pioneer Park
WHEN: Friday, 6 p.m. / Saturday 1 p.m.
COVERAGE
Live Stats: AUTROJANS.COM
Video: AUTROJANS.COM
THE TROJANS
Anderson is 8-16 on the season after dropping the first four matchups of the season-high eight-game road swing and is searching for its second road victory of the campaign.
Sophomore Dillon Carpenter enters the midweek contest on a 10-game hitting streak and leads the Trojans with a .333 batting average, while sophomore Matthew Overton paces the squad with 21 walks on the year and is batting .329. The Spartanburg, S.C., native has reached base safely in 23 consecutive games. Senior William Thomas is on an eight-game hitting streak and has raised his batting average 45 points over the last seven games. Redshirt freshman Chandler Castleberry has started every game and boasts a .314 batting average, while ranking third in the South Atlantic Conference with eight home runs on the season.
The pitching trio of Will Gee, Austin Todd and Christian Carpenter each have two wins on the season, while left-hander Matthew Stanley paces the bullpen with a pair of saves. Freshman right-hander Justin Helms has the team's lowest ERA (3.00) in five relief appearances, while Gee continues to lead the Trojans with 26 Ks in 27 1/3 innings of work.
LAST TIME OUT
The Trojans recorded 35 hits and scored 19 runs, but were unable to overcome an uncharacteristic 13 errors and were swept by Carson-Newman in a three-game conference series last weekend.
Carpenter was 6-for-12 on the weekend, with a pair of doubles and four RBI, while Overton was 4-for-8 and drew four walks during the three-game set. Thomas was 7-for-15 and ripped a pair of doubles, with Jackson Strange driving in six runs and posting an .818 slugging percentage.
SCOUTING THE PIONEERS
Tusculum was tabbed to finish fourth in the South Atlantic Conference Preseason Coaches' Poll after posting a 30-20 overall record a year ago and finishing fifth with a 14-10 mark in conference play.
The Pioneers open a 10-game homestand by playing host to Winston-Salem State later this afternoon and are coming off a 12-10 road loss at Lee, Wednesday night. Tusculum has lost seven of its last nine outings since opening the month of March by taking two out of three from Wingate.
Sophomore infielder Daulton Martin was named Preseason Second-Team All-SAC and earned Second-Team National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association (NCBWA) Preseason All-Southeast Region accolades after garnering honorable mention all-conference laurels at the conclusion of the 2017 campaign. He finished third on the team and 11th in the league last season with his .372 batting average. Martin totaled 64 hits, including 12 doubles, four home runs and a team-high three triples.
Junior Charles Hall was named SAC Pitcher of the Week two days ago, after pitching eight shutout innings with a career-high 11 strikeouts in Tusculum's 10-1 win over Catawba last week. He scattered three hits and allowed four walks.
THE SERIES vs. TUSCULUM
The Trojans and Pioneers have met 31 times since the 1998 season, with Tusculum leading the all-time series, 19-12. AU won the first nine meetings between the two programs from 1998-2009, but the Pioneers have won 17 of the last 19 matchups - including the last eight - since the Trojans joined the SAC for the 2011 season.
UP NEXT
The Trojans wrap up their road swing with a trip to Erskine for the second time this season. AU will be looking to avenge a 6-2 loss to the Flying Fleet suffered earlier this season in Due West. First-pitch on Tuesday, is scheduled for 3 p.m.
