ANDERSON, S.C. – Anderson dropped a South Atlantic Conference baseball doubleheader with Lenoir-Rhyne, 11-0 and 9-5, Saturday afternoon at Memorial Stadium.
Anderson slipped to 8-10 overall and 6-8 in the league with its third setback in four decisions, while Lenoir-Rhyne improved to 13-6 and 10-4 with its 10th win in 11 outings.
INSIDE THE BOX SCORE
Game #1
Lenoir-Rhyne 11, Anderson 0 (6 Innings)
The Trojans were limited to one hit and four base runners in the opener, with junior Jacob Kohns notching a lead-off single to left in the third inning. Junior Chandler Castleberry and freshman Brayden Owens each drew a walk, while senior Cody Adams reached on a fielder's choice in the fifth inning.
Sophomore Andrew Imperatore (3-1) suffered his first loss of the season after allowing seven runs (one earned) on six hits in 2 1/3 innings of work on the mound. The left-hander struck out two and walked one.
Game #2
Lenoir-Rhyne 9, Anderson 5
Adams was 2-for-4 in the nightcap, with single and an RBI-double. The Saluda, S.C., native also scored a run. Sophomore Justin Fox added a pair of singles, drove in a run and swiped three bases, while Castleberry crossed the plate twice after getting hit by a pitch and drilling a lead-off triple to center field in the sixth inning. Freshman Tanner Bray also score a pair of runs after reaching on an error and a seventh-inning walk.
Junior Lucas Smith (1-1) got the start and absorbed the loss after surrendering six runs on 11 hits over 5 1/3 innings. The right-hander struck out five and walked just one.
HOW IT HAPPENED
Game 1
The Trojans were unable to overcome six errors in the opener, with five of the miscues coming in the first two innings, and allowing Lenoir-Rhyne to jump out to a 6-0 lead after the first two frames.
The Bears added solo runs in the third and fifth innings, while wrapping up the scoring with three more runs in the top of the sixth.
Game 2
The Trojans took an early 1-0 lead when Castleberry led off the second inning by getting hit by a pitch for the eighth time this season. Senior catcher Tyler Berry moved him into scoring position with a sacrifice bunt and Castleberry crossed the plate with the game's first run when Fox singled up the middle.
The Bears evened it up with a two-out run in the top of the third, but AU regained the advantage in its half of the inning when Bray lifted a pop fly high in the air just inside the line toward third that the L-R catcher was unable to corral and Bray wound up on second to lead off the inning. He moved to third on Adams' sacrifice bunt and scored when Dalton Shaw bounced out to the left side.
Lenoir-Rhyne tied the score for the second time with a run in the fifth and took the lead for good with a four-run sixth inning. AU trimmed the deficit to 6-3 in the bottom of the sixth when Castleberry blasted his second triple of the season to the base of the wall in straightaway center field and came home when Berry bounced out to first base.
The Trojans capitalized on a lead-off walk by Bray in the bottom of the seventh, a double by Adams, a sacrifice by Shaw and a wild pitch to score twice and climb back within 6-5, before L-R posted three insurance runs in the top of the eighth inning.
STAT OF THE DAY
Justin Fox recorded three stolen bases in the nightcap and is tied for third in the conference with nine on the season.
NOTABLES
• Jacob Kohns and Chandler Castleberry have each reached base in eight straight games.
• Dalton Shaw is riding a three-game hitting streak entering Sunday's doubleheader.
• Lenoir-Rhyne holds a 23-11 advantage in the overall series that began in 2009.
• The Bears have won four straight and five of the last six matchups.
UP NEXT
The Trojans and Bears will wrap up the four-game series with another doubleheader, Sunday afternoon. First-pitch at Memorial Stadium is slated for 1 p.m.
