ANDERSON, S.C. – The Anderson baseball team, which has won five of its' last six South Atlantic Conference games, and UVA Wise, which has dropped its' last eight league decisions, are set to collide this weekend in a three-game series in the Commonwealth. First-pitch for Friday afternoon's series opener at the Cavaliers' Stallard Field is scheduled for 3 p.m.
The series is scheduled to conclude with a Saturday afternoon doubleheader, with a 1 p.m. first-pitch.
WHO: Anderson Trojans (16-13, 5-4 SAC) vs. UVA Wise Cavaliers (10-19, 1-8 SAC)
WHERE: Stallard Field; Wise, Va.
WHEN: Friday, 3 p.m. / Saturday, 1 p.m. (DH)
COVERAGE
Live Stats: AUTROJANS.COM
Live Video: AUTROJANS.COM
THE TROJANS
AU has won seven of its last eight decisions and five of its last six conference outings, and is coming off its first win over North Georgia since the 2012 campaign.
With four players boasting batting averages above .300, the Trojans are fifth in the SAC with a .291 batting average after raising the team batting average 31 points over the last 10 games.
Sophomore Brandon Gibbs is hitting .500 over 11 games this season and is coming off a 3-for-4 performance at the plate in Tuesday night's win at North Georgia. The speedy designated hitter has ripped two triples and a pair of doubles this season and is a perfect 5-for-5 in stolen bases this season. Senior Luke Poole has reached base safely in six consecutive games and owns a .410 batting average over 15 games, while freshman Gray Wells is batting .384 since stepping into the starting lineup at first base. Another newcomer, Mac Ketchin, is hitting .324 over an 11-game span, while third baseman Brayden Owens has a .317 batting average.
Senior center fielder Justin Fox is fourth in the league with 15 stolen bases and has swiped at least two stolen bases in four games this season. The Concord, N.C., native is tied for seventh in the school record books with 42 career stolen bases. Senior catcher Carlos Hernandez is riding a team-high, 10-game hitting streak and ranks fourth in the league with 32 RBI and is second on the team with 16 walks on the year. The native of Maracay, Venezuela, has driven in at least three runs on three occasions and posted five RBI against Lenoir-Rhyne earlier this season.
Freshman Braeden Harrison is second on the squad with a .438 slugging percentage on the strength of four doubles and a team-high two home runs. Junior infielder JC LeGrand paces the Trojans with 23 walks on the year and is second on the team with five doubles.
Twenty-one Trojans have seen action on the mound this season, with Nathan Sanders and Austin Mercado leading the pitching staff with three wins apiece. Jackson Herring, Nathan Ledford and Graham Brown each have two wins apiece.
SCOUTING THE CAVALIERS
The Cavaliers were tabbed to finish 12th in the SAC Preseason Coaches' Poll, after finishing last season with an overall 18-32 record, including a 6-18 mark in the league and finishing 11th in the conference standings.
The Cavaliers, who are in the midst of an 11-game homestand, have lost seven of their last eight decisions after opening the month of March with five consecutive wins, but they are coming off a convincing, seven-inning, 20-9, wIn over King, Wednesday afternoon.
Junior first baseman Cole Harness was named the SAC Player of the Week, NCBWA Southeast Region Player of the Week and the National Hitter of the Week in late February, after hitting .778 with three doubles, three home runs, a triple, eight runs scored, and 12 RBI. He also had an on-base percentage of .826 and a slugging percentage of 1.556 for the week. The Coeburn, Va., native tied a SAC single-game record for RBI in a game with 10 against Carolina University.
Sophomore outfielder DJ Dickson earned Third-Team Preseason All-South Atlantic Conference accolades after posting a .432 batting average a year ago. He wrapped up last season with 12 doubles, a triple and a home run, while scoring 19 runs.
THE SERIES vs. UVA WISE
The brief overall series – which began in 2021 - is deadlocked at one win apiece after the Cavaliers joined the SAC in 2020. The two teams did not meet last season.
UP NEXT
The Trojans will return to the Electric City for a brief one-game midweek homestand against Newberry on Tuesday. AU will be looking to avenge an earlier, 20-17, setback to the Wolves.
First-pitch is set for 6 p.m. at Anderson Memorial Stadium.
