ANDERSON, S.C. – The Anderson University baseball team dropped an 11-2 nonconference decision to Lander, Tuesday afternoon at Anderson Memorial Stadium.

Anderson slipped to 2-3 on the season with its second consecutive setback, while Lander snapped a three-game skid and improved to 2-6.

INSIDE THE BOX SCORE
Junior Tyler Miller was 2-for-4 on the afternoon, with a double and a bunt single. Junior William Thomas added a pair of singles, with junior Michael Rochester posting a single and a double. Sophomore Jackson Strange clubbed his first home run of the season – a two-run shot in the fourth inning – and added a sixth-inning walk.

Sophomore John McMicking (0-1) absorbed the loss after surrendering three earned runs on five hits in five innings on the mound. The right-hander struck out five and walked three.

HOW IT HAPPENED
Lander jumped out in front quickly by posting four consecutive base hits with one out, including a two-run homer, and led 3-0 after a half-inning. The Trojans threatened to answer in the bottom of the inning after Miller doubled to left-center and Thomas followed by beating out a bunt, but AU was unable to push across a run.

McMicking settled down after the rocky start and held the Bearcats scoreless over the next four innings by allowing just four baserunners, including three walks.

AU trimmed the deficit to just one when Strange belted his first collegiate home run over the wall in left-center with Carpenter on first. Senior Xavier Peralta followed by lacing a two-out double to the gap in left-center, but was stranded.

Lander countered with four runs in the sixth inning and three in the seventh to build a 10-1 advantage and set the final score with a solo run in the top of the ninth.

ANDERSON STAT OF THE DAY
Strange's home run was the first of his collegiate career.

NOTABLES
• Miller leads the Trojans with seven hits on the season.
• Carpenter and Thomas are second on the squad with six hits apiece.
• Five Trojans have at least one extra-base hit through four games.
• Carpenter saw his four game hitting streak end, but has scored at least one run in every game this season.
• Xavier Peralta extended his hitting streak to four games.
• William Thomas has reached base safely in all five games.

UP NEXT
The Trojans are scheduled to get back on the diamond Wednesday afternoon at Emmanuel College. First-pitch versus the Lions in Franklin Springs, Ga., is slated for 3 p.m.