ANDERSON, S.C. – The Anderson baseball team dropped a 3-2 decision in the opening game of a Saturday afternoon doubleheader at Limestone, then rallied from an early deficit by scoring seven unanswered runs, including four in the sixth inning of the nightcap, to salvage a split with the Saints with an 8-2 win in the second contest at Founders FCU Stadium.
Anderson moved to 4-7 on the season with the split, while Limestone went to 5-6 on the year.
INSIDE THE BOX SCORE
Game #1
Limestone 3, Anderson 2
Trojan hitters were limited to five singles and a pair of walks in the opener, with junior JC LeGrand reaching base on a second-inning single and a seventh-inning walk. Seniors Justin Fox and Carlos Hernandez also each posted a single, with junior Brayden Owens reaching base on a single, an error and a fielder's choice. Jordan Montgomery was hit by a pitch and also drew a walk.
Junior Nick Miller (0-2) absorbed the loss in relief after allowing one run on one hit in 1/3 of an inning. He struck out one batter and walked one.
Game #2
Anderson 8, Limestone 2
Montgomery was a perfect 2-for-2 in the nightcap, with a pair of singles and a pair of walks. He also scored a pair of runs. James Hanvey was 2-for-3, with two singles and a walk, while crossing the plate twice. Catcher Anthony Pandolfi reached base twice on a pair of walks, while Owens drove in a pair of runs with a single and a sacrifice fly. Freshman Gray Wells added two singles and Kye Andress drove in three runs with a sixth-inning double down the left-field line.
Grad student Nathan sanders (1-0) captured the win after drawing the start and surrendering just two runs on three hits, while walking just one batter and fanning two over five full innings of work – his longest stint of the season. Senior Austin Mercado tossed the final two innings and allowed just three singles, while striking out one Saint.
HOW IT HAPPENED
Game 1
Sophomore Brandon Gibbs led off the game with a single, moved to second on a wild pitch and scored when Hernandez followed two batters later with a single up the middle to give the Trojans a quick 1-0 lead.
Owens led off the second with a liner to center field that was ruled as an error and crossed the plate two batters later when LeGrand singled to right, but it was the last time the Trojans would cross the plate in the opener, as their bats went silent.
Limestone evened the score with a pair of runs in the bottom of the second and capitalized on a walk, a pair of wild pitches and another Trojan miscue to score the go-ahead run in the bottom of the seventh inning.
Game 2
After falling behind,2-1, after just one inning, The Trojans rallied to plate seven unanswered runs, including four runs in the sixth.
AU batted around in the sixth, with the big shot coming as a three-run double down the left-field line off the bat of LeGrand.
ANDERSON STAT OF THE DAY
Jordan Montgomery was a combined 2-for-4 on the day, with three walks and was hit by a pitch, for a .750 on-base percentage.
NOTABLES
• Brandon Gibbs and Brayden Owens are each riding four-game hitting streaks.
• Carlos Hernandez has reached base safely in 10 straight games.
• AU holds a 41-36 edge in the overall series with the Saints. The Trojans have won five of the last seven meetings and 10 of the last 13 matchups with the Saints.
• Four of AU's losses have come by a single run and a fifth setback was by just two runs.
UP NEXT
The Trojans will go back on the road for a midweek matchup with Emmanuel, Tuesday afternoon. First-pitch in Franklin Springs, Ga., is scheduled for 3 p.m.
