Dissa and data, Feb. 5

(I'm going to intersperse some statistical nuggets from time to time)

Anderson
Troj-antics: Anderson senior infielder Kye Andress went 7-for-14 with four doubles and stole two bases in the opening series against USC Beaufort ... The Trojans went 9-for-9 in stolen bases (four by Zach Stover,  but lost two of three ... AU pitchers struck out 23 batters in 25 innings.

Benedict

Bene-feats: Outfielder Isaiah Canty and utility player Justin Murray were first-team preseason all-Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference in a vote of league coaches and sports information directors. Catcher Taj Bates and outfielder Jalen McDuffie were second-team selections. ... The Tigers open their season at home against Lane Feb. 17 ... The Tigers have stolen 2,736 bases in 14 seasons with Selwyn Young as coach. Throw out the CoVID-abbreviated 2020 and 2021 seasons and the Tigers have averaged 216 steals per season.  Oh, and they stole 194 bases in 2009 when Young was an assistant to Derrick Johnson.

Bob Jones

Bru-insights: BJU coach Brent Casteel is preparing for his program's fourth season, which begins with a Friday night game at Mid-Atlantic Christian in Elizabeth City, N.C.  He's still working with a young roster - 9 freshmen and 5 sophomores as compared 8 juniors, 3 seniors and 2 grad students. even that figure is a little misleading: one of the seniors is Doug Goldstrom, who didn't get in a game in 2022 and was not on the squad last season ... The Bruins took a step back last season, going 4-27 after being 10-31 in their sophomore season ... Henry Wallach is back for his fourth season, having pitched 187 innings over the previous three years ... Gaffney native Riley Ramsey has been a consistent contributor over the first three seasons ... The Bruins will again play their home game at Conestee Park on Mauldin Road, the former site of Greenville Municipal Stadium ... BJU competes in the Greenville-based National Christian College Athletic Association. The school has been investigating membership in NCAA Division III, but the school's Board of Trustees decided last year to not pursuit D3 membership at that time.

Claflin

Claf-lines: Even with the disappointment of splitting the season-opening doubleheader with  Morris, second-year coach Scott Nestor likely was heartened by the starting pitching. Kyle Hawkins pitched a complete game in the Game 1 loss Roman Woods-Golston followed with the program's first shutout since 2019 and its first home shutout since 2018 ... Hawkins pitched to team's only three complete games as season ago as they went 1-41 ... The Panthers also went 5-for-6 in stolen bases.

Columbia International

Ram-egrams: Senior Austin Paradise's pinch-hit single in the eighth inning help CIU from being hit in its season-opener. He also had a run-scoring hit in the four-run ninth inning in Saturday's first game as the Rams forced extra innings before falling in the 10th. Four errors contributed to seven unearned runs in that loss.

Erskine

Fleet filberts:  First baseman Dale Francis Jr. is expected to be on of the top hitters in Conference Carolinas this season, and he had some good numbers in Erskine's 0-3 series with Lander. Francis hit .455 with a homer and nine RBI. He also drew four walks ... Among others who started all three games, junior college transfer Josean Sanchez also hit .455,  Tyler Smith was at and Christian Rivera checked in at .364.  as Erskine hit .304 as a team. Another JC transfer, Carden Marsters, played in all three games - starting twice - and batting .500  ...  Fleet pitchers, compiling a 9.36 ERA and - along with catchers - were victimized for 15 Lander stolen bases in as many attempts ... A bright spot on the mound was Cooper Guest, who retired all eight batters he faced, three by strikeout.