ANDERSON, S.C. - Anderson University head softball coach Tommy Hewitt has announced that Molly Child and Bailey Smith have signed national letters of intent to play softball for the Trojans next season.

"I am really excited about the addition of these two players," Hewitt said. "We work extremely hard to add top-notch, strong, quality student athletes that can help propel our program to the next level and these two certainly will do that. I really look forward to them being here."

Smith a 5-foot-9 hurler from Shelby, N.C., posted a 10-4 record with a stellar 1.94 ERA as a freshman with Spartanburg Methodist College last season. The right-hander recorded 97 strikeouts and issued just 15 walks while tossing 90 innings. She .posted a .474 slugging percentage, while batting .368 for the Pioneers. Smith was named to the 2010 Region X All-Tournament Team and earned First-Team Region X accolades.

She played her prep softball at Crest High School, going 25-3 and notching a perfect 12-0 league record as a senior for the Chargers, recording an ERA of 0.80 and striking out 263 batters while walking only 19. At the plate, she batted .409.

As a junior, Smith was named Big South Player of the Year, helping lead the Chargers to a 12-0 league record and a 22-2 overall mark after reaching the third round of the 4A state playoffs. The Chargers also went on to win the Big South tournament title. She went 21-2 overall, pitched seven shutouts and was 14-0 against conference foes, including the Big South tournament. The junior had a 0.46 overall ERA and struck out 10 per game in league play.

"Bailey was a standout pitcher during her high school career and certainly her freshman year at SMC," added Hewitt. "She will bring a winning tradition to our program from the mound and give us added strength in the circle. She also swings the bat very, very well and will be an added weapon to our offense."

Child helped lead LaGrange (Ga.) Academy to back-to-back GISA Class AA State Championships, while earning Class AA State Player of the Year honors. She turned down scholarship offers from Florida Atlantic University, West Point Military Academy, Columbus State University and University of Miami to join her sister, Abby, a sophomore infielder for the Trojans next fall.

Child was a five-time member of the GISA All-State Team, posting a career .536 batting average, while posting a 54-10 record in the circle with 405 strikeouts in 424 innings during her career.

In five seasons, Child hit 32 home runs, an average of one round-tripper every 7.4 at-bats, while recording 155 RBIs. During her senior campaign, Child batted .592, hit .667 with runners in scoring position, had a slugging percentage of 1.224, hit 10 home runs and had 49 RBIs. .

"Molly is a standout pitcher and centerfielder, noted Hewitt. "We are thrilled to have her in the outfield. She covers so much ground in the outfield. Her bat is unmatched and she is a tremendous hitter."