WILSON, NC--The Anderson University baseball team has had its fair share of ups and downs throughout this 2009 season; Friday morning the Trojans did battle with Conference Carolinas tournament host, and the #3 seed, Barton Bulldogs. The game was a mirror image of AU's tumultuous season, as they overcame an 11-3 Barton lead, posting a 3-run seventh, eighth, and ninth, capped off by a 2-run walk-off homerun from senior Blair Carson, giving the Trojans a 12-11 win and a berth into the semi-final round. "It was definitely the most exciting game I've ever been a part of as a coach," said Trojan skipper Joe Miller. "I am just so proud of this team;...[they've] gone through long stretches of adversity this year, but their confidence has never wavered." That resiliency was showcased coming into the conference tournament, as the Trojans broke up an 18-game losing streak with a 5-game winning streak to end the season winning 5 of 6. AU knocked off the #2 seed Mount Olive on Thursday on a Blair Carson complete game pitching performance, and late-hot bats got the job done Friday. Trent Still homered twice--once in the third, a solo shot, and again in the eighth, a three run blast to right center. The Trojan catcher was 2-5 with 2 runs and 4 RBI. Ryan Saxon played the game at DH, and he went yard as well. Saxon was 2-5 with a run and an RBI. Derek Hipp did damage for AU at the plate also; the speedy centerfielder was 3-6 with 2 runs and an RBI. The Trojans went into the seventh inning trailing by 8 runs, but the comeback could have never happened without the steady arm of freshman Riley McDermott. After three Trojan pitchers combined for 5 2/3 innings of work and allowed 11 earned runs on just 3 K's and 5 walks, the right-handed reliever came in and checked Barton right where they were. In 2 2/3 innings of work McDermott allowed no runs on just one hit and 2 K's while walking none. "There's no way we win that game without Riley coming up big," said Trojan assistant coach Jason Rutland. "He just came in and threw strikes and kept us right in the game." McDermott gave way to Trojan bats in the bottom of the ninth; Derek Hipp doubled to drive in the lead-off man BJ Smith to get AU within a run of the lead. Then Blair Carson added another bomb to his career total, but this one, number 34, meant a semi-final berth, and a chance to knock off rival Erskine. The Trojans take on the Flying Fleet tomorrow at 1:00 PM. Complete Box Score