ANDERSON, S.C. – The Anderson baseball team is set to open a nine-game homestand by playing host to league-leading and No. 8/17 Tusculum in a four-game South Atlantic Conference series this weekend at Memorial Stadium.
First-pitch for Friday's doubleheader is scheduled for 4 p.m., with Saturday's twin bill slated for a 2 p.m. start.
Admission to Trojan baseball games is free - No pets are allowed inside Memorial Stadium with the exception of service dogs.
WHO: Anderson Trojans (10-13, 8-10 SAC) vs. Tusculum Pioneers (19-6, 15-5 SAC)
WHERE: Anderson Memorial Stadium; Anderson, S.C.
WHEN: Friday, 4 p.m. (DH) / Saturday, 2 p.m. (DH)
COVERAGE
Live Stats: AUTROJANS.COM
Video: AUTROJANS.COM
THE TROJANS
Anderson (10-13, 5-7 SAC) has won two of its last four outings and is looking for its third conference win in four decisions after winning the series finale against Lenoir-Rhyne and splitting a doubleheader at UVA Wise last weekend.
Davis Goodyear has been on fire over the last three contests, as the senior has gone 7-for-9 (.778) at the plate, with three doubles and a single and has scored three runs, while driving in a pair of runs and also drawing a walk. The Rock Hill native is hitting .615 in seven games on the season.
Senior Trevor Weisner has played in 14 games and is hitting .366 on the season, while sophomore Justin Fox has gotten a starting nod at shortstop in all 23 games. He leads the squad with 26 hits and owns a .342 batting average. The Concord, N.C., native is tied for second in the conference with 11 stolen bases and has been thrown out just twice on the base paths this season.
Senior outfielder Dalton Shaw has seen action in a dozen games this season and is hitting .314 in 35 at-bats. Senior Nick Vella leads the Trojans and is tied for eighth in the conference with eight doubles. He has driven in 16 runs and leads the team with 17 walks. Senior Chandler Castleberry leads the Trojans with 17 runs scored and has notched six doubles, two triples, a pair of home runs and has driven in a team-high 17 runs. The Waxhaw, N.C., native has also been hit by a pitch 10 times.
Goodyear and Weisner are each riding four-game hitting streaks heading into the weekend, while Castleberry has reached base safely in 13 consecutive games.
Sophomore left-hander Andrew Imperatore has suffered losses in his last two starts, but still leads the Trojan pitching staff and is tied for ninth in the league with three wins in five starts and has tossed 19 2/3 innings. The New Hyde Park, N.Y., native owns a 5.49 ERA and has struck out 17 batters while walking 10. Sophomore Joseph Cottone (1-3) paces the pitching staff with 35 strikeouts in 28 1/3 innings and owns a 3.49 ERA. The left-hander has seen the Trojan offense average just two runs per game over his last three starts.
Senior Christian Carpenter (2-1) has made nine appearances in relief and worked 23 1/3 innings, including a career-high six in AU's 5-4 win over Lenoir-Rhyne. The Polkton, N.C., native has fanned 32 batters (12.34/per 9 innings) and only issued just one walk. He has yet to allow an earned run this season.
SCOUTING THE PIONEERS
Tusculum (19-6, 15-5 SAC), which has won four of its last six decisions and split last weekend's conference series with Newberry, was tabbed to finish fifth in the South Atlantic Preseason Coaches' Poll, after posting a 15-10 overall record during last year's Coronavirus-shortened season, including a 4-5 mark in conference play.
The Pioneers posted a 30-21 overall mark in 2019, including a 17-7 record in the conference and finished in a tie for third place. TU returned 27 letterwinners from last year's squad, including infielders Daulton Martin and Jaden Steagall, who earned Preseason All-SAC accolades.
Senior outfielder Fuzzy Furr was named the SAC Player of the Week on March 9, after helping lead the Pioneers to a 3-1 series win over Mars Hill.
Tusculum was ranked eighth in the latest Collegiate Baseball News NCAA Division II Coaches Poll and was tabbed 17th in this week's National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association NCAA Division II Poll.
THE SERIES VS. TUSCULUM
Tusculum holds a 24-14 advantage in the overall series that began in 1998. AU snapped an 11-game skid at the hands of the Pioneers with a 7-6 win in the 2018 SAC Tournament. The Trojans claimed the last matchup at Memorial Stadium, 4-3, on April 6, 2019.
UP NEXT
The Trojans will play host to Emmanuel on Tuesday, before Wingate invades the Electric City for a four-game conference series on Saturday. First-pitch vs. the Lions on Tuesday is slated for 3 p.m.
