ANDERSON, S.C. – The Anderson University baseball team recorded a season-high 22 hits and topped Coker, 16-12, in the final contest of their three-game South Atlantic Conference weekend series, Sunday afternoon at Memorial Stadium.
"I'm extremely happy that we won the series," said Anderson head coach P.J. Zocchi. "After game two I'm proud of how our guys battled throughout the day today. Today was an offensive win. The at-bats today were great. There were a lot of ABs that our boys grinded out hits. Today's game could have gone either way especially in the middle of the game. Our offense did not back down at all. 2-5 in the order were 13-for-19 with four walks and 12 RBI. In order for us to get better as a unit we need to learn from the mistakes of the weekend and prepare better this week."
Anderson improved to 9-4 overall and 2-1 in the conference with its third win in four outings, while Coker slipped to 7-8 and 1-2.
INSIDE THE BOX SCORE
Junior Nick Vella was a perfect 5-for-5 on the day, with his first home run of the season – a two-run shot over the right-field fence in the seventh inning – to go along with a triple, three singles and a walk. He drove in a pair of runs and scored five times. Sophomore Jack Fassino was 5-for-6, with five singles and drove in six runs. Chandler Castleberry added a two-run homer, a run-scoring double and also reached base on a pair of walks, while posting three RBI and crossing the plate four times. Junior Davis Goodyear and senior Daniel Blazejewski each added a pair of singles.
Freshman Trace Furtick evened his record at 2-2 on the season after allowing eight runs on nine hits over six innings of work. He struck out two and walked one. Senior Brent Reynolds garnered his first save of the season after notching the final two outs of the game.
HOW IT HAPPENED
The Trojans posted a pair of runs in the first, third and fifth innings and led 6-5 after five complete frames.
The Cobras posted two runs in the top of the six to take a brief one-run lead before the Trojans erupted for four runs in the bottom of the inning, with two coming on freshman Ryan Brash's two-out double to the gap in left-center that gave AU the lead for good.
After Coker notched a solo run in the top of the seventh, the Trojans answered with three runs in the seventh and eighth innings to double up the Cobras, 16-8, after eight full innings.
The Cobras made it interesting in the ninth by getting the tying run in the on-deck circle with one out, but Reynolds came out of the bullpen to close them down on a fly ball and a strikeout.
STAT OF THE DAY
The Trojans recorded five extra-base hits on the afternoon, while Coker posted four.
NOTABLES
• The 16 runs, 21 hits, 16 RBI, two home runs and 31 total bases were all season-highs for the Trojans.
• The two teams combined to use 11 pitchers and 23 position players.
• Nick Vella leads AU with nine multi-hit games.
• Dillon Carpenter is on a 13-game hitting streak.
• Chandler Castleberry has reached base safely in all 13 games.
• Nick Vella leads the conference with a .563 batting average.
• Dillon Carpenter leads the SAC with 18 RBI.
• Christian Carpenter leads the league with five saves.
UP NEXT
AU travels to Emmanuel on Tuesday, before returning to the Electric City for a four-game homestand. First-pitch versus the Lions is set for 3 p.m.
