Skip to navigation Skip to content Skip to footer

Baseball Drops Two at UNC Pembroke

Baseball Drops Two at UNC Pembroke

PEMBROKE, N.C. - After the Trojans fell 11-5 in its season-opener, Anderson University baseball fought hard in the second game of the day, but fell victim to a walk-off home run in the bottom of the seventh, as the Trojans dropped, 6-5, to non-conference opponent, UNC Pembroke, Saturday afternoon at Sammy Cox Field.

The back-to-back setbacks hand the Trojans a 0-2 record to open the 2015 season, as they dropped their fourth straight season opener. With the victories, UNCP, which is coming off a 33-win season a year ago, jumps out to a 2-0 record to open the year, as it has not suffered a setback in a season opener in over 10 years.

Headlining the Trojan offense with back-to-back multi-hit games was junior middle infielder, Kyle Bailey, who tallied two hits in both games. Bailey was tabbed the leadoff hitter in both contests and finished a combined 4-for-8 on the day with an RBI and a run scored. Also posting four hits on the day was catcher LJ Newman, as he notched a three-hit performance, with two doubles, in the opening game of the doubleheader.

Junior first baseman Steven Cooper was the lone Trojan to slug a home run on the day, as he slammed a two-run homer over the left-field wall to give Anderson its first runs of the season. In the second game, middle infielder Brett Cash earned the team's first triple of the year, as he drove in three runs with the extra-base hit that would even the contest at 4-4 in the third inning.

Outfielder Stephen McKnight recorded AU's final extra-base hit with a lead-off double in the sixth, as he would eventually score the go-ahead run on a sacrifice bunt by freshman Tyler Miller. McKnight finished the final game of the day with a 2-for-4 performance and the run scored.

Entering the bottom-half of the seventh inning with a 5-4 advantage, UNCP's Zade Denton led off the last inning with a single to put the tying run on first base. After Dalton Knight fouled out, Collins Cuthrell provided a heart-breaking walk-off home run to give the home side the two-game sweep with a 6-5 win. For Cuthrell, the homer was his first of the season and first hit of the second game.

Anderson looks to get back on track on Friday when it opens South Atlantic Conference play with a three-game series at Newberry. First pitch on Friday is slated for 6 p.m., while the series wraps up with a doubleheader on Saturday beginning at 1 p.m.

Game 1 Box Score
Game 2 Box Score

Season Outlook: Baseball
January 21, 2015 Season Outlook: Baseball
Baseball Unveils 2015 Schedule
November 12, 2014 Baseball Unveils 2015 Schedule