ANDERSON, S.C. – Sophomore Joseph Strange's one-out infield single plated senior Tyler Miller with the winning run, as the Anderson University baseball team outlasted King, 9-8, in 10 innings Friday afternoon at Anderson Memorial Stadium.
Anderson (1-0) claimed its third straight win on opening day by erasing an early four-run deficit and overcoming a late one-run lead by the Tornado, who fell to 0-1.
INSIDE THE BOX SCORE
Joseph Strange was 2-for-6, with a pair of singles – including the game-winner - and also reached on an error and drove in a run. Miller was 2-for-5 on the afternoon, while scoring twice and recording four RBI. Senior William Thomas notched a pair of singles and laid down a pair of sacrifice bunts, with sophomore Matthew Overton posting two singles in four at-bats. Freshman Chase Stephens added a pair of singles in four trips to the plate, while notching an RBI and crossing the plate once.
Sophomore right-hander John McMicking got the start on Opening Day and survived a rocky start after allowing four hits and four runs in the first inning. The Summerville, S.C., native settled down and gave up just one run on three hits over an additional 3 2/3 innings of work on the mound. Sophomore Christian Carpenter captured the win in relief by tossing a scoreless ninth and 10th innings. He struck out three batters and walked two.
HOW IT HAPPENED
The Tornado jumped out to an early lead by scoring four times in the top of the first inning, while AU cut the deficit in half with a run in the bottom of the third and another solo run in the bottom of the fifth inning.
King went ahead, 5-2, by adding a run in the top of the fifth, while the Trojans answered to knot the score at five apiece with three runs in the bottom of the frame. Freshman Will Lindsey led off the home half of the inning with his second straight walk and went to second when Thomas beat out an infield single. After both runners moved up on a passed ball, Miller brought home both runners with a double down the right-field line. Miller then crossed the plate on consecutive wild pitches to even the score.
The Tornado regained the lead with another run in the top of the sixth, while AU answered by scoring another run to even the score again. After a scoreless seventh inning, King posted a run in the eighth to take a 7-6 advantage. Stephens led off AU's eighth inning with a single and Lindsey followed with his third walk of the afternoon. Both runners came around to score on Miller's single to right, but the Trojans were unable to hold off the Tornado in the ninth frame, as the visitors knotted the score at 8-8 behind a leadoff single and a triple.
King loaded the bases with two outs in the top of the 10th inning, but was unable to push across the go-ahead run, setting up Joseph Strange's late heroics. Miller was hit by a pitch to lead off and moved into scoring position on a balk. Jackson Strange followed with a single through the left side that sent Miller to third. After Jackson Strange promptly went to second with the defense pulled in, Tornado hurler Jared Bridges collected a strikeout. With one out on the scoreboard, Joseph Strange hit the ball to the left side of the mound and even though the defense was in tight, the Tornado were unable to make the play as Miller raced home.
NOTABLES
• The game marked the first-ever meeting between the two programs.
• The Trojans outhit King, 13-11, on the day.
UP NEXT
The Trojans and Tornado are scheduled to wrap up their three-game series with a doubleheader, Saturday afternoon. First-pitch at Memorial Stadium is set for 1 p.m.
