ANDERSON, S.C. - Sophomore Jessica Neidigh and freshman Molly Child combined for nine base hits, including four for extra bases, and scored five runs as the Anderson softball team wrapped up its eight-game homestand by splitting a South Atlantic Conference doubleheader, falling 4-3 in the opener and winning 3-2 in the nightcap, Wednesday afternoon at Smethers Field.

Anderson (30-6, 7-3 SAC) had its win streak halted at 10 with the setback in game one, but has won 15 of its last 18 decisions and improved to 14-2 in the friendly confines of Smethers Field by earning the second-game victory.

Wingate moved to 18-17-1 overall and 2-8 in conference action, snapped a brief two-game skid with the win in game one.

Game #1
Wingate 4, Anderson 3

Child was 3-for-4 with three singles in the opener and also scored a run, while Neidigh added a single and blasted her fourth home run of the season over the center-field fence in the third inning. Junior Samantha Young posted a single and an RBI-double in three at-bats.

Wingate's Shannen Adams was 2-for-4 with a pair of singles and Emily Usiak notched a double and a walk in three trips to the plate, while scoring two runs. Kasey Pendley recorded a double and two RBI for the Bulldogs.

Freshman Stacey Houser earned the complete-game win, allowing three earned runs off 10 hits, while striking out three and walking three.

AU junior right-hander Lauren Bell suffered her first loss since March 9, tossing seven innings and giving up four runs (three earned) on seven hits. She walked four and struck out three.

Neidigh's one-out homer to center gave the Trojans a 1-0 lead after three innings, but the Bulldogs scored three runs in the top of the fifth inning to take a lead they would not relinquish. Freshman Taylor Laskey recorded a one-out single to left and Usiak followed with a walk. Sophomore Kayla Saliga reached on a fielder's choice to load the bases as the Trojans were unsuccessful in throwing out Laskey at third. Pendley then ripped a double to right-center, scoring both Laskey and Usiak to give Wingate a 2-1 lead.

Senior Kelsey Maffucci's single to right field plated Saliga to boost the Bulldogs' edge to 3-1, then Adams reached on a single, with Pendley being thrown out at the plate for the second out of the inning and Brittany Loudermilt popped out to end the inning.

AU's Swygert singled through the left side to lead off the sixth inning for the Trojans and scored on Young's two-out double to left-center, pulling Anderson within 3-2. However, Wingate added an insurance run in the top of the seventh inning and the Bulldogs would need it, as Molly Child led off the home half of the frame with a single back up the middle and scored on Laura Jansky's two-out double, but the Trojans were unable to overtake Wingate.

Game #2
Anderson 3, Wingate 2

Child was 2-for-3 in the nightcap and scored what proved to be the game-winning run on a passed ball with two outs in the bottom of the sixth inning. Sophomore Bri Cason reached base all three times, recording a pair of singles and a walk. Neidigh added a double and a single in four at-bats.

Maffucci was 2-for-3 at the plate for the Bulldogs, with a solo home run and a single, while scoring twice. Junior Hayley Whitley added a seventh-inning single.

Junior Bailey Smith (14-3) picked up the win, scattering four hits and striking out three while not walking a batter over seven full innings.

Houser (12-9) suffered the loss, while tossing six innings and surrendering three earned runs on nine hits over six innings of work. She walked four and struck out two.

Wingate snapped a scoreless tie with a solo run in the top of the fourth inning, courtesy of a sacrifice fly by Haley Whitley, but the Trojans evened the score when Molly Child pulled a double to right, Abby Child walked and Swygert was hit by a pitch to load the bases. Jansky plated Molly Child with the tying run when she bounced out to the right side.

Maffucci's one-out homer in the sixth gave the Bulldogs a short-lived 2-1 lead, with the Trojans posting a two-out rally. Neidigh sparked the rally by singling to right and came all the way around to score on Molly Child's double to the fence in right-center. She moved to third on the throw to the plate and raced home with the go-ahead run when the ball scooted away from the Wingate catcher with Abby Child at the plate.

Whitley opened the Bulldog seventh inning with a single to left, putting the tying run on first, but was erased when Alexis Burrell lined to Neidigh at second and was too far off the bag to get back. Smith then recorded the final out on an infield popup.

The Trojans return to action with a South Atlantic Conference doubleheader at Lincoln Memorial, slated for Saturday at 2 p.m.