ANDERSON, S.C. – The Anderson baseball team was unable to overcome a season-high five errors, as the Trojans wrapped up its three-game SAC series with Lincoln Memorial with a 14-6 loss to the Railsplitters, Sunday afternoon at Memorial Stadium.
Anderson slipped to 15-13 overall and 5-4 in conference play, while seeing its win streak halted at six games. Lincoln Memorial improved to 15-8 and 3-6 with its third victory in six decisions.
INSIDE THE BOX SCORE
Sophomore Brandon Gibbs was 2-for-2 at the plate, with a single and a ninth-inning double, while driving in a run and scoring once. Shortstop Kye Andress added a pair of singles in five at-bats, while senior catcher Carlos Hernandez was 1-for-3, with a two-run double and also reached base on a pair of walks. Center fielder Justin Fox recorded a double and a walk, with designated hitter Luke Poole notching a second-inning single in three trips to the plate.
Freshman Gray Wells drew three walks in five plate appearances, while JC LeGrand reached base three times – twice on walks and was hit by a pitch. Juniors Jacob Peake and Jackson Van Ness, along with freshman Mac Ketchin each posted a single on the afternoon.
Grad student Nathan Sanders (3-2) absorbed the loss after surrendering three runs on three hits over 4.0 innings, while striking out six batters and walking three.
HOW IT HAPPENED
After two scoreless innings to open the game, the Railsplitters got on the scoreboard first with a solo run in the top of the third inning, then took advantage of five errors by the Trojans in the fourth and fifth innings to build a 10-0 lead after 4 ½ frames.
AU avoided the shutout when Hernandez pulled a two-out, two-run double down the left-field line that plated both Ketchin and Wells, but LMU tacked on two more runs in both the sixth and seventh innings to build a 14-2 cushion and put the game out of reach.
Fox led off the home half of the seventh inning with his fifth double of the season, stole third and crossed the plate on Wells' sacrifice fly to shallow left field and the Trojans then rounded out the scoring by batting around in the bottom of the eighth and scored three runs.
STAT OF THE GAME
The two teams combined to strand 27 runners on base.
NOTABLES
• Justin Fox swiped two bases and leads the Trojans by going 14-for-15 in stolen bases on the season. He is tied for fourth in the league in stolen bases.
• Carlos Hernandez is riding a nine-game hitting streak.
• Gray Wells has reached base safely in 10 consecutive games.
• The overall series between the two teams dates back to 2009.
• Lincoln Memorial leads the overall series, 19-16.
• AU has won four of the last seven matchups.
• LMU has won eight of the last 13 meetings.
• The Trojans and Railsplitters did not square off last season.
UP NEXT
AU is slated to open a four-game road swing at Peach Belt Conference-foe North Georgia, Tuesday night. First-pitch against the Nighthawks in Dahlonega is scheduled for 5 p.m.
