CHARLOTTE, N.C. – Using an 11-hit attack in the opener and behind a stellar outing by starting pitcher Joseph Cottone in the nightcap, Anderson ran its win streak to six games by sweeping a doubleheader with Queens, 10-6 and 6-5, in South Atlantic Conference baseball action, Friday afternoon at Tuckaseegee Dream Fields.
Anderson improved to 21-19 overall and 7-13 in league action with its second straight doubleheader sweep of a conference opponent, while Queens fell to 24-19 and 13-7 with its third straight setback after taking three from Southern Wesleyan a week ago.
INSIDE THE BOX SCORE
Game #1
Anderson 10, Queens 6
Nick Vella was 3-for-4 at the plate in the opener, with three singles and a walk, while driving in three runs and crossing the plate once. Designated hitter Shane Thomas added a pair of singles and scored a pair of runs, with JC LeGrand posting a run-scoring double and belting his team-leading fifth home run of the season in the ninth inning. Kye Andress also clubbed his second home run of the season in the third inning – a two-run shot over the left-field fence. Jackson Van Ness posted a single and reached on a fourth-inning walk.
Freshman Walker Noland improved to 5-3 on the season after allowing five runs (four earned) on eight hits over 6.1 innings of work on the mound. He struck out six and walked two.
Game #2
Anderson 6, Queens 5
Carlos Hernandez posted two of the Trojans' nine hits in the nightcap, with a double and a run-scoring single. Jaxon Young added a single and a walk, while Jackson Van Ness was 1-for-2, with a single. Vella notched a single in the nightcap and scored the eventual winning run (unearned) when Hernandez pulled a two-out single to left field in the top of the seventh inning.
Joseph Cottone (5-2) gave up a pair of solo home runs, but scattered eight hits over six full innings on the mound, while fanning six batters and issuing just one walk.
Nathan Ledford earned his first career save after surrendering a hit and walking a batter, but getting the final out in the bottom of the seventh inning.
HOW IT HAPPENED
Game 1
After two scoreless innings, the Trojans took a 5-0 lead in the top of the third by taking advantage of three singles, a double by LeGrand, a sacrifice fly from Hernandez and a two-out, two-run homer by Andress.
AU built an 8-0 advantage with three more runs in the top of the fourth, capped by Vella's two-run single through the right side.
Queens got on the scoreboard with two runs in the fifth inning and added three more in the seventh to climb back within 8-5. The two teams traded runs in the eighth and the Trojans rounded out the scoring on LeGrand's home run to right-center in the top of the ninth. Landon Henley came on in the ninth and retired the Royals in order to wrap up the win.
Game 2
Queens claimed an early 1-0 lead in the first frame, but Hernandez led off the second inning with his 12th double of the season, moved to third when Andress bounced out to the right side, and crossed the plate on Brayden Owens' single to right field.
A four-run fifth inning later propelled the Trojans to a 5-1 lead, with Queens countering by plating another run in the bottom of the sixth to trim AU's edge to three.
Vella reached on an error with two outs in the top of the seventh and moved into scoring position on LeGrand's single to center. He crossed the plate with the eventual winning run moments later, when Hernandez singled to left field.
Trailing 6-2 heading into their final at-bat, the Royals made it interesting by scoring three runs with two outs and had the tying run at third and the winning run at first, before Ledford induced the final Royals' batter to pop out to LeGrand at second.
ANDERSON STAT OF THE DAY
LeGrand posted a .776 slugging percentage on the day, with seven total bases in nine at-bats, including a home run and a double.
NOTABLES
• Anderson, which is pursuing its first winning season since the 2003 campaign, kept alive its hopes of making its fifth appearance in the last eight SAC Championships after missing out on last year's tourney.
• With four league games remaining on the slate, AU trails seventh-place Carson-Newman by 3 ½ games and eighth-place Mars Hill by two games.
• Mars Hill swept the Trojans in late March, while AU and Carson-Newman wrap up the regular-season conference schedule with a three-game series next weekend.
• Friday afternoon's twin bill marked the first-ever meetings between the two programs (The Royals started their baseball program in 2019).
• Nick Vella extended his hitting streak to eight games.
• Justin Fox is riding a seven-game hitting streak heading into Saturday's series finale.
• JC LeGrand has reached base safely in 21 consecutive games.
• Justin Fox, Jaxon Young and Kevin Sosa have eacted reached base safely in seven consecutive games.
UP NEXT
With the threat of inclement weather looming over the region, the Trojans and Royals are scheduled to wrap up the three-game series, Saturday afternoon at 2 p.m.
AU will then play host to Belmont Abbey, Tuesday at Memorial Stadium, while wrapping up its home schedule with a South Atlantic Conference series against Carson-Newman on Friday and Saturday. First-pitch against the Crusaders is slated for 6 p.m.
