MARS HILL, N.C. - The Anderson University baseball team rallied for eight runs in the final three innings, but dropped a 9-8 decision to Mars Hill in South Atlantic Conference action Friday afternoon at Ponder Park.

Anderson, which has dropped three consecutive one-run decisions, fell to 9-24 overall and 3-13 in the conference, while Mars Hill moved to 11-21 and 6-10.

Mars Hill snapped a scoreless tie with a pair of runs in the fourth inning, but junior first baseman Erick Sanderson hit a solo home run in the seventh inning, his third of the season, to cut the Lions lead to 2-1.

The Lions' Joey Belviso answered for Mars Hill in the bottom half of the frame, notching a three-run one-out homer to center, boosting MHC's advantage to 5-1. Anderson was limited to just three singles and Sanderson's blast over the first seven innings of the game, but the Trojans' bats woke up in the eighth, as AU erupted for six runs, taking a 7-5 lead.

Anderson batted around during the rally, sending nine batters to the plate with right fielder Ryan Kirkland sparking the rally by leading off the frame with a double to right. Thomas Padro and Brett Cash then drew back-to-back walks to load the bases and Zach Reeves' sacrifice fly to center was deep enough to bring home Kirkland.

Senior Blake May was hit by an errant pitch to again fill the bases with just one out. Paul Como followed with a two-RBI single to left and Sanderson cleared the bases with a three-run homer to give the Trojans the two-run edge.

But the lead was short-lived, as Mars Hill's Michael Bueker doubled to center field in the eighth to score Jacob Rand and Tommy Scala, knotting the game at 7-7.
The Trojans' Reeves doubled to center in the ninth to drive in Cash and give the Trojans a one-run advantage.

The Lions' final at-bat began with a pop up out to the pitcher. Chris Peek then hit a solo homer to right-center tie the contest. Scala then walked, Jake Wooten was hit by a pitch and Rand walked to load the bases. Tyler Reboulet fouled out and with two outs and the bases loaded, Bueker singled to left-center on a 3-2 count to plate to score Wooten with the game-winning run.
Sanderson paced the Trojans offensively going 2-for-4 with two home runs and four RBI. Cash and Reeves also tallied two hits apiece for Anderson. Jacob Saxon took the loss (0-3) on the mound for the Trojans.

Chris Peek led MHC at the plate going 4-for-5 with a home run added two runs scored. Scala went 3-for-4 with a RBI and a run scored. Bueker was 2-for-6 with three RBI. Thomas Timmerman picked up the win (1-2) throwing the final inning in relief.

The teams will conclude the three-game series on Saturday playing a double-header at noon at Henderson Field.