Saturday, March 25
Davidson, NC
2 p.m.
Davidson College
12-10
12
vs
10
Tennessee Tech
8-14
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
R
H
E
TTU
4
1
0
2
2
0
0
1
0
10
19
2
Davidson
0
0
0
0
2
4
0
0
6
12
10
0
Anderson's Walk-off Grand Slam Caps Comeback(s)
3/25/2023 6:22:00 PM | Baseball
DAVIDSON — When he injured his leg in September, Davidson's Hunter Anderson wasn't sure he'd ever play baseball again.
Moments like what happened Saturday, or rather the potential of such moments, kept him motivated.
In his first career start and fifth at-bat of the day, Anderson hit a walk-off grand slam to right field to deliver a 12-10 Wildcats' win over Tennessee Tech — and the highlight of the year so far — at Wilson Field.
It was just his third college hit (second of the day) and first home run.
"It doesn't really feel real right now," Anderson said afterward, as his phone buzzed with incoming messages. "I think for me, personally, it's just been a long road. That's one reason it's just hard to believe."
Midway through Saturday's contest, the Wildcats trailed 9-0, but when Anderson rounded third and met his teammates at home plate, more than one comeback was complete.
"Tearing a ligament in my knee and being out for the whole fall definitely hurt me," said Anderson. "But during this whole rehab process, I learned how to change my mindset and just keep working, keep that mental strength, that energy, that focus just to keep doing what I do."
The Wildcats entered the bottom of the ninth trailing 10-6, and quickly cut into the Golden Eagles' lead. Ryan Wilson was hit by a pitch, and Jacob Hinderleider followed with a monster home run to left, his second of the day, to make it 10-8. The Wildcats then loaded the bases with a Jack Cotrone single, a Henry Koehler hit-by-pitch and an Anthony Torreso walk. With one out, Anderson stepped in and watched two balls miss the zone.
He liked the third pitch, but just missed it and fouled it back over the stands. He connected on the next one, though, and off the bat, thought it would be a double. Instead, it carried over the wall in right to end the game and ignite a wild celebration at home plate.
It was a much different scene than when Anderson was hurt during practice in early September. Not only did he tear a ligament in his knee that day in the outfield; he also dislocated his knee cap. He left the field in an ambulance and questioned whether a day like Saturday would even be possible.
"It's why I love this game," he said.
For much of Saturday, it appeared Tennessee Tech was in control, thanks to a two-homer performance from infielder Peyton Mills. But the Wildcats came alive in the fifth when Tyler Douglas and Hinderleider hit solo home runs. In the sixth, Anderson singled in a run, then scored on a wild pitch, and two more runs came in on a throwing error.
After the Golden Eagles extended their lead to 10-6 with a run in the eighth, Danny Rosenfield pitched a 1-2-3 ninth to keep the Wildcats within striking distance, and Anderson made sure they struck.
Up Next
The series finale is set for 1 p.m. Sunday.
Moments like what happened Saturday, or rather the potential of such moments, kept him motivated.
In his first career start and fifth at-bat of the day, Anderson hit a walk-off grand slam to right field to deliver a 12-10 Wildcats' win over Tennessee Tech — and the highlight of the year so far — at Wilson Field.
It was just his third college hit (second of the day) and first home run.
"It doesn't really feel real right now," Anderson said afterward, as his phone buzzed with incoming messages. "I think for me, personally, it's just been a long road. That's one reason it's just hard to believe."
Midway through Saturday's contest, the Wildcats trailed 9-0, but when Anderson rounded third and met his teammates at home plate, more than one comeback was complete.
"Tearing a ligament in my knee and being out for the whole fall definitely hurt me," said Anderson. "But during this whole rehab process, I learned how to change my mindset and just keep working, keep that mental strength, that energy, that focus just to keep doing what I do."
The Wildcats entered the bottom of the ninth trailing 10-6, and quickly cut into the Golden Eagles' lead. Ryan Wilson was hit by a pitch, and Jacob Hinderleider followed with a monster home run to left, his second of the day, to make it 10-8. The Wildcats then loaded the bases with a Jack Cotrone single, a Henry Koehler hit-by-pitch and an Anthony Torreso walk. With one out, Anderson stepped in and watched two balls miss the zone.
He liked the third pitch, but just missed it and fouled it back over the stands. He connected on the next one, though, and off the bat, thought it would be a double. Instead, it carried over the wall in right to end the game and ignite a wild celebration at home plate.
It was a much different scene than when Anderson was hurt during practice in early September. Not only did he tear a ligament in his knee that day in the outfield; he also dislocated his knee cap. He left the field in an ambulance and questioned whether a day like Saturday would even be possible.
"It's why I love this game," he said.
For much of Saturday, it appeared Tennessee Tech was in control, thanks to a two-homer performance from infielder Peyton Mills. But the Wildcats came alive in the fifth when Tyler Douglas and Hinderleider hit solo home runs. In the sixth, Anderson singled in a run, then scored on a wild pitch, and two more runs came in on a throwing error.
After the Golden Eagles extended their lead to 10-6 with a run in the eighth, Danny Rosenfield pitched a 1-2-3 ninth to keep the Wildcats within striking distance, and Anderson made sure they struck.
Up Next
The series finale is set for 1 p.m. Sunday.
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Rosenfield, Danny (1-0)
L: McDUFFIE, Reece (1-2)
Batting:
2B: MILLS, Peyton 1 ; BAUNSGARD, Troy 1
3B: BAUNSGARD, Troy 1
HR: MILLS, Peyton 2 ; DYER, John 1 ; JORDAN, Nicho 1
RBI: MILLS, Peyton 5 ; BAUNSGARD, Troy 2 ; DYER, John 1 ; JORDAN, Nicho 1
Base Running:
RUNS: SPARDONE, Nick 1 ; GILLILAND, Hayden 2 ; MILLS, Peyton 4 ; BAUNSGARD, Troy 1 ; DYER, John 1 ; JORDAN, Nicho 1
Batting:
HR: Hinderleider, Jacob 2 ; Anderson, Hunter 1 ; Douglas, Tyler 1
RBI: Hinderleider, Jacob 3 ; Anderson, Hunter 5 ; Douglas, Tyler 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Calero, Nick 1 ; Wilson, Ryan 1 ; Hinderleider, Jacob 2 ; Cotrone, Jack 1 ; Koehler, Henry 2 ; Torreso, Anthony 1 ; Anderson, Hunter 2 ; Douglas, Tyler 2
SB: Koehler, Henry 1
HBP: Wilson, Ryan 1 ; Koehler, Henry 1
Game Leaders
Hitting
AB
5
R
2
H
2
RBI
3
AB
5
R
2
H
2
RBI
5
AB
4
R
2
H
2
RBI
1
AB
4
R
0
H
1
RBI
0
Players Mentioned
OF
/ Baseball
INF
/ Baseball
OF
/ BaseballSS
/ Baseball
OF
/ Baseball
LHP
/ Baseball
C
/ Baseball
INF/OF
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