ANDERSON, S.C. – After being limited to just two hits through the first six innings, the Anderson baseball team rallied in the seventh and eighth frames to claim a 5-3 come-from-behind win over Lenoir-Rhyne in South Atlantic Conference play, Friday night at Memorial Stadium.
"It was a great team win to start the series," said Anderson head coach P.J. Zocchi. "We have been preaching to the guys about its all about the team, be relentless in the box, no free outs. Tonight we did a great job seeing pitches. We battled throughout the game. Lucas [Smith] gave us a chance all night on the mound and when we were able to capitalize in the eighth we were extremely confident in [Christian] Carpenter in the ninth. It was great to see Christian break the record tonight at home. It was a big team win."
Anderson improved to 10-6 overall and 3-1 in league action by snapping a brief two-game skid, while Lenoir-Rhyne (8-8, 1-3 SAC) suffered its third consecutive loss.
INSIDE THE BOX SCORE
Junior Trevor Weisner was 2-for-3 on the night and drove in the tying and go-ahead runs with a clutch two-out double to the gap in left-center in the bottom of the eighth. The Easley, S.C., native also reached on a second-inning walk and scored a pair of runs. Fellow junior Will Lindsey was 1-for-3, with a walk. His eighth-inning single plated Weisner with an insurance run.
Sophomore Lucas Smith improved to 4-0 on the season after allowing just the three runs on five hits over eight complete innings. He struck out five batters and did not issue a free pass. Senior Christian Carpenter earned his sixth save of the season after shutting down the Bears in order in the top of the ninth.
HOW IT HAPPENED
The contest was a pitcher's duel between Smith and Lenoir-Rhyne starter John Grigg for much of the night, with each team being limited to just one hit through the first four innings and neither squad posted a run until the fifth.
Lenoir-Rhyne's E.J. Ranel led off the game with a hard single to left, but Smith did not allow another Bear to reach base until centerfielder Mike McHugh led off the fifth frame with a double to left and later crossed the plate with the game's first run on a bunt by Brock Johnson.
The Bears took advantage of another bunt in the seventh, as Connor Smith led off the inning by beating out a bunt and later crossed the plate to give L-R a 2-0 advantage. AU evened the score in the bottom of the seventh, when sophomore Jack Fassino reached on a dropped third strike and moved to second on Weisner's single down the right-field line. The native of Seneca, S.C., then went to third when the Bears threw the ball away trying to pick him off and, following a walk to Lindsey, he scored when Ryan Brash bounced out to first. Weisner knotted the score at 2-2 on Daniel Blazejewski's sacrifice fly.
Lenoir-Rhyne responded by scoring an unearned run in the top of the eighth, while Castleberry posted a one-out-single in the bottom of the frame. Dillon Carpenter followed with a single and both moved into scoring position as the Bears threw the ball around the infield. One out later, Weisner laced his third double of the season to the wall in left-center to give AU the lead. Lindsey followed with a single through the left side to plate Weisner.
Christian Carpenter, who leads the SAC with six saves, came on in the ninth and retired the Bears in order.
ANDERSON STAT OF THE GAME
Only four Lenoir-Rhyne runners reached scoring position on the night.
NOTABLES
• With Carpenter's sixth save, he surpassed former AU standout Nick Wates (2000-03) for most career saves with his 20th.
• Dillon Carpenter stretched his hitting streak to 16 games.
• Chandler Castleberry has reached base in all 16 games.
• Nick Vella leads the league with a .492 batting average.
• Castleberry and Carpenter rank second and third in the SAC, respectively, with 19 and 18 RBI.
• Smith is second in the SAC with 39 strikeouts and ranks fifth with his 1.50 ERA.
UP NEXT
The Trojans and Bears will wrap up their three-game series with a twin bill, Saturday afternoon. First-pitch at Memorial Stadium is scheduled for 1 p.m.
