Catawba Sports Information

ANDERSON, S.C. — Catawba and host Anderson split a South Atlantic Conference baseball doubleheader on Saturday afternoon at Memorial Stadium. Catawba claimed the opener, 7-6, while the Trojans took an 11-9 win in the second game.

The Indians stand at 13-9 overall and 5-4 in the SAC. The Trojans move to 8-15 and 3-6.

Each team held off late charges by their opponent to win. Catawba, down 2-0 early in game one, saw Anderson fight back from a 7-2 deficit. The Trojans got two in the eighth inning and two in the ninth before pitcher Bryan Blanton got a fly out with the tying run at third to end the contest.

Anderson took a 10-2 lead in the nightcap, but Catawba put together a furious rally that got the Indians within 10-9 after a three-run double by Dylan Richardson in the fifth inning. The Indians were thwarted late by ground ball double plays in the sixth and seventh innings.

Jake Kimble had three hits in each game of the doubleheader for Catawba and scored five runs. Will Albertson had two hits in each game, while Richardson picked up three hits and four RBI in game two.

In the opener, Luke Setzer had RBI-singles in the third and fifth innings to get Catawba even after an early 2-0 deficit. The Indians took the lead in the sixth on back-to-back RBI doubles by Chance Bowden and Kimble.

Anderson struck for two runs with two outs in the eighth inning, then put together another two-out rally in the ninth. Michael Rochester singled home a run and a second run scored on an error that put the tying run on third base. Blanton got a fly out from Zach McIlroy to pick up his second save.

A three-run homer by Steven Cooper got Anderson off to a quick lead in the second game. McIlroy had a two-run single in the second and LJ Newman a two-run homer in the third to make it 10-2.

Catawba put two home in the fourth inning on singles from Albertson and Richardson, then mounted the five-run fifth that got the Indians within a run. With two outs, Albertson singled home a run and Setzer walked to load the bases. Richardson cleared them with a three-run double.

Anderson scored a run in the bottom of the fifth to go up 11-9. After a leadoff walk in the sixth, Catawba hit into its first double play and Kimble was later stranded at third. In the seventh inning, Catawba had two walks around a fielder’s choice to get the tying run on base. The game ended on a double play off the bat of Richardson.

Russ Weiker picked up the win in the opener for Catawba and improved to 5-2 on the mound. He allowed four runs on seven hits with four strikeouts. Avery Bowles gave the Indians a chance in the nightcap with three innings of relief work, allowing a run but no hits. He walked one, hit a batter and fanned four Trojans.

Catawba travels to UNC Pembroke on Wednesday for a 3 p.m. non-conference match-up with the Braves.