BLUEFIELD, W.Va. – Senior Kye Andress (Hendersonville, N.C.) and freshman Zach Stover (Powdersville, S.C.) posted perfect 4-for-4 days at the plate, one in each contest as the Anderson University (17-14) baseball team picked up a doubleheader sweep of Bluefield State (17-10) on Friday, March 29.
Andress had his perfect day in the opener, while Stover was able to post his perfect contest in the nightcap. Sophomore Gray Wells (Chapin, S.C.) posted a pair of RBIs for the Trojans in the first game while senior Carlos Hernandez (Maracay, Venezuela), senior JC LeGrand (Lugoff, S.C.) and junior Anthony Pandolfi (Hicksville, N.Y.) were each able to record one in the day's finale. Graduate Ben Thornton (Greer, S.C.) fanned a trio of batters to take home the win in game one with senior Ryan Brash (Aiken, S.C.) notching a save. Junior Ben Smith (Cleveland, Tenn.) struck out a pair in the second game on his way to a win while senior Corey Loggins (Walhalla, S.C.) earned the save.
GAME ONE: Anderson 3, Bluefield State 1
In the first of a pair of seven inning contests on the day, the Trojans were able to put up their whole run total in just a single inning, taking their advantage in the third inning. After a lead-off single by sophomore Mac Ketchin (Mount Pleasant, S.C.), he would steal a pair of bags and be brought home by a bad throw by the Big Blue's catcher to plate the first run of the frame. A string of singles by the next three batters, including a two-RBI single up the middle by Hernandez that lifted the Trojans advantage to 3-0.
The Big Blue were able to plate a run in the bottom of the fifth inning but that was all they could muster in the opener with the Trojans securing their fifth-straight win.
GAME TWO: Anderson 3, Bluefield State 2
The second contest of the day was more tightly contested as the Trojans were able to take the advantage in the second with a pair of RBIs. Pandolfi brought around the first run of the night cap with an infield RBI-single. A triple by LeGrand on the next at-bat brought Pandolfi around to score but he would be stranded there as the Black and Gold took the 2-0 lead. A solo shot for Bluefield State in the bottom of the second and an RBI-double in the bottom of the sixth would level the contest heading into the final inning.
Coming up in a clutch moment, Hernandez was able to knock a two-out single to the left centerfield gap that plated the final run of the contest, securing the Trojans sixth straight win at 3-2.
The two teams wrap up their three-game series tomorrow, March 30 at 12:00 p.m.
