FRANKLIN SPRINGS, Ga. – Despite posting six more hits than Emmanuel, the Anderson baseball team fell, 15-6, to the Lions in nonconference action, Wednesday afternoon at Tom Carey Field.
Anderson fell to 2-4 on the season with its third consecutive setback, while Emmanuel evened its record at 4-4 by snapping a four-game skid and improving to 5-0 at home.
INSIDE THE BOX SCORE
The Trojans outhit Emmanuel, 17-11, but the Lions posted crooked numbers on the scoreboard in four separate innings to earn the win.
Junior William Thomas was an impressive 6-for-6 on the afternoon, with his first home run of the season and sprayed five singles through all parts of the infield. Sophomore Carson Barrett added a pair of singles and a walk in five trips to the plate, with sophomore Jackson Strange going 2-for-5, with two singles and drove in two runs. Senior Xavier Peralta was also 2-for-5, with a pair of singles and drove in two runs. Junior Michael Rochester notched a double and a single in six at-bats.
Senior Thomas Smith (0-1) suffered the loss after surrendering seven runs (six earned) on eight base hits in three innings of work on the mound. The right-hander issued three walks.
HOW IT HAPPENED
The Trojans threatened in the top of the first inning when Thomas ripped a one-out single and stole second with Rochester at the plate. Dillon Carpenter was hit by a pitch to get two runners on base with two outs, but the Trojans were unable to push a run across.
Emmanuel capitalized on a single, a walk and an error to load the bases with one out in the bottom of the first. Back-to-back singles gave the Lions an early 2-0 lead, and they added another run on a fielder's choice to claim a three-run lead.
Peralta singled with one out in the top of the second and Joseph Strange followed with another single two batters later to get a pair of runners on again, but the Trojans came away empty-handed, while Emmanuel pushed another two runs across to take a 5-0 lead.
AU trimmed the deficit to 5-3 by batting around and scoring three times in the top of the third. Thomas led off with a single and moved into scoring position on a groundout. Dillon Carpenter came through with a one-out single, pushing Thomas to third. Strange added a single to plate Thomas and both runners moved up on a passed ball, while Barrett drew a walk to load the bases. Peralta posted his second straight single of the afternoon to drive in two runs. But Emmanuel countered with a pair of runs in the bottom half of the frame to maintain a four-run advantage.
The teams traded solo runs in the fourth inning, with Thomas leading off the fifth frame by belting his homer beyond the left-field fence and the teams went to the fifth frame with the Lions holding an 8-4 advantage.
Thomas again led off the sixth inning with a single and crossed the plate when
Jackson Strange reached on an error with one out. But the Lions responded by erupting for seven runs to build a double-digit lead.
With two outs in the top of the seventh, junior Tyler Miller ripped a two-out double and scored when Thomas beat out an infield single to the right side to set the final score.
ANDERSON STAT OF THE GAME
In addition to going 6-for-6 on the day, Thomas scored three times and drove in two runs.
NOTABLES
• The Trojans' 17 hits marked a season high.
• The 22 total bases were also a season high.
UP NEXT
Anderson returns to Memorial Stadium on Saturday when Augusta invades the Electric City. First-pitch at Memorial Stadium is scheduled for 1 p.m.