DUE WEST, S.C. – The Anderson baseball team dropped its fourth consecutive decision with a 17-14 loss to longtime rival Erskine, Tuesday afternoon at Grier Field.
Anderson fell to 6-7 on the season, while Erskine improved to 9-6 and gained a half-point in the battle for the Beville Cup.
INSIDE THE BOX SCORE
Senior Brandon Odachowski homered twice and drove in six runs, while crossing the plate three times. Sophomore Will Lindsey was a perfect 3-for-3 at the plate, with three singles and also reached base three times on walks. Sophomore Chandler Castleberry added a home run, a double and a walk in five trips to the plate, with Jackson Strange driving in three runs with a ninth-inning double.
Stetson Scott (1-1) took the loss after allowing seven runs on eight hits in 1 1/3 innings of work on the mound.
HOW IT HAPPENED
The Trojans struck early with three runs in the top of the first inning when Cody Adams led off the game with a double and Will Lindsey followed with a walk to get two on with no outs. Both runners advanced on a wild pitch with two outs and crossed the plate when Odachowski hammered his first home run of the season deep beyond the left-field fence.
Eight hits, including a two-run homer, led to seven Erskine runs in the bottom of the second frame as the Fleet grabbed a 7-3 advantage before Castleberry homered for the second time in three games to pull the Trojans within three in the top of the third inning.
The Trojans loaded the bases with two outs to get the tying run on base in the top of the fourth, and Lindsey came through with a clutch bouncer to the left side of the infield that saw the Fleet first baseman pull off the bag in order to make a catch on the throw and AU was within 7-5.
Erskine added five runs in the bottom of the sixth to build a 12-5 cushion, but no lead was safe, as Odachowski countered by belting his second three-run shot of the day over the fence with one out in the top of the seventh.
The offensive fireworks continued into the bottom of the inning, as the Fleet plated five runs for the second consecutive inning and claimed a seemingly safe 17-8 lead. But following a scoreless eighth inning – the only one of the afternoon – AU sent 10 batters to the plate and took advantage of four walks, a single and Strange's three-run double to score six times and close within three.
STAT OF THE DAY
The game featured 11 doubles and seven home runs.
NOTABLES
• The Trojans lead Erskine 6-2 in the battle for the Beville Cup.
• AU needs 1 1/2 points to claim the Beville Cup for the seventh consecutive year and ninth time in the last 10 years.
• The two teams combined to use 11 pitchers.
• Erskine outhit the Trojans, 19-10.
UP NEXT
Anderson will get back on the diamond this weekend at Lenoir-Rhyne, with the Trojans and Bears squaring off in a three-game South Atlantic Conference series. First-pitch on Friday night at Bears Field is scheduled for 6 p.m.