ANDERSON, S.C. – The Anderson baseball team will look to carry the momentum from a five-game win streak into the weekend, when the Trojans and No. 24-ranked Lenoir-Rhyne are slated to open their South Atlantic Conference schedules with a three-game series, Saturday and Sunday at Memorial Stadium.
First-pitch for Saturday afternoon's series opener is scheduled for 2 p.m.
Admission to Trojan baseball games is free and please ignore the outdated "No Animals Allowed" signs on the fencing at Memorial Stadium. AU Athletics promotes a family-friendly atmosphere and dogs of all shapes and sizes are welcome.
WHO: Anderson Trojans (9-8, 0-0 SAC) vs. Lenoir-Rhyne Bears (13-5, 0-0 SAC)
WHERE: Anderson Memorial Stadium; Anderson, S.C.
WHEN: Saturday, 2 p.m. (DH) / Sunday, 1 p.m.
COVERAGE
Live Stats: AUTROJANS.COM
Live Video: AUTROJANS.COM
THE TROJANS
The Trojan pitching staff's 3.86 ERA is second only to Lenoir-Rhyne's 3.53 ERA in the South Atlantic Conference, with the Trojans holding opponents to a 2.42 batting-average-against, while LR is limiting foes to a league-leading .232 batting-average-against. Grad student Nathan Sanders is second in the conference with a 1.02 ERA. The Franklin, N.C., native has captured a pair of wins in five starts and owns a complete-game victory over Lincoln University of Pennsylvania.
AU's offense has clubbed just two home runs on the season, but the Trojans are tied for third in the SAC with six triples. Senior outfielder Luke Poole, who has played in eight games and drawn a starting assignment in left field on three occasions, owns a .412 batting average and a .474 on-base percentage. Sophomore Brandon Gibbs has a pair of triples in seven games and has posted a .400 batting average and a .667 slugging percentage. The Columbia native is a perfect 4-for-4 in stolen bases on the season.
Third baseman Brayden Owens is batting .339 and is riding a 10-game hitting streak entering the weekend series. Center fielder Justin Fox is tied for the team lead with five multi-hit games, while James Hanvey (.296 batting avg.) and Kye Andress (.276 batting avg.) have each reached base safely in seven straight games.
SCOUTING THE BEARS
The Bears were tabbed to finish second in the SAC Preseason Coaches' Poll, after winning the 2022 SAC Tournament. LR finished last season with an overall 46-13 record, including a 17-7 mark in the league and finished third in the conference standings. Lenoir-Rhyne also earned the No. 20 spot in the 2023 Preseason Collegiate Baseball Poll and were ranked 24th in the latest National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association (NCBWA) Poll.
Wade Cuda, Andrew Patrick, Joshua Lanham, David Bell, Cole Laskowski and Bryce Stober were all named Preseason All-SAC.
The Bears are coming off a nonconference, 9-7, loss two days ago at Coker, but have won seven of their last nine outings, with one of the setbacks coming at top-ranked North Greenville. LR earlier swept a three-game series with No. 9 Illinois Springfield.
LR leads the conference with 18 home runs and has also drawn a league-leading 94 walks on the season. The Bears' pitching staff has the SAC's lowest ERA (3.53) and is holding opponents to a league-best .232 batting-average-against.
THE SERIES vs. LENOIR-RHYNE
Lenoir-Rhyne leads the overall series, 26-13. AU has won two of the last four meetings, while the Bears have claimed seven of the last nine matchups. The first-ever meeting between the two programs occurred during the 2009 campaign.
LAST MEETING WITH THE BEARS
The Trojans won the middle game of a three-game series at then 18th-ranked LR at Durham Field last March. AU won the opening game of a twin bill, 6-4, but dropped the nightcap, 13-1.
The Trojan victory snapped LR's 19-game home win streak.
UP NEXT
AU will step back out of conference action to visit Newberry on Tuesday. First-pitch against the Wolves is scheduled for 6 p.m.
