ANDERSON, S.C. – Limestone capitalized on three Trojan errors to score six unearned runs, while defeating Anderson, 11-4, in nonconference baseball action, Friday night at Memorial Stadium.
Anderson slipped to 3-6 on the young season, while Limestone improved to 4-5 by snapping a five-game skid.
INSIDE THE BOX SCORE
The Trojans recorded six base hits but were able to string together back-to-back hits just once – in the eighth inning.
Sophomore Brandon Gibbs had one of the hits – a run-scoring triple in the second inning, while freshman Braeden Harrison posted an eighth-inning double and crossed the plate on Mac Ketchin's infield single. Senior catcher Carlos Hernandez notched a double, with Brayden Owens adding a single and a pair of walks. Senior Luke Poole reached on a second-inning walk and had an RBI-single in the sixth frame.
Junior Graham Brown (1-2) suffered the loss after allowing seven runs (two earned) on three hits over 3.1 innings of work on the mound. He struck out two Saints and walked four.
HOW IT HAPPENED
Limestone scored three unearned runs before the Trojans recorded an out in the top of the first inning, then added a solo run in the top of the second inning to grab an early 4-0 lead.
The Trojans slied the deficit in half with a pair of runs in the bottom of the second, but after a scoreless third inning, the Saints added four runs in the fourth and two more in the fifth frame to build an insurmountable 10-2 advantage.
Hernandez led off the bottom of the sixth and scored on Poole's two-out single through the right side, but Limestone got the run back in the top of the seventh. Harrison added a two-out double in the Trojans' final at-bat and crossed the plate when Ketchin beat out an infield single.
STAT OF THE GAME
The Saints scored eight runs on just four hits through the first four innings.
NOTABLES
• The Trojans posted a pair of doubles and a triple – their highest total extra-base hits of the season.
• Brandon Gibbs has recorded a base hit in each of his last three games.
• Carlos Hernandez has reached base safely in all nine games.
• Trojan hurlers also matched their season-high with eight free bases.
• Three of AU's setbacks have come by a single run and a fourth loss was by just two runs.
• AU holds a 40-35 edge in the overall series with the Saints. The Trojans have won four of the last five meetings and nine of the last 11 matchups with the Saints.
UP NEXT
The two teams are scheduled to wrap up the series with a twin bill, Saturday afternoon in Gaffney. First-pitch is scheduled for 1 p.m. at Founders FCU Stadium.
