HICKORY, N.C. - Sophomore Jessica Neidigh recorded three hits and four RBI help lift sixth-seeded Anderson to a 7-2 upset win past third-seeded and nationally 25th-ranked North Georgia in the first game of the NCAA Southeast Regional hosted by Lenoir-Rhyne at Bears Field on Monday.
In the first meeting between the two schools since 2006, Anderson (38-13) made its NCAA Tournament debut a successful outing, as the Trojans rallied from an early deficit and have now equaled the school record for wins in a season. North Georgia slipped to 36-13 on the season.
Anderson advances to meet No. 7 seed Georgia College (37-15) on Saturday at 2 p.m., while North Georgia dropped into the loser's bracket of the double-elimination tourney and moves on to meet No. 2 seed and host Lenoir-Rhyne (35-15) on Saturday at 4:30 p.m. Georgia College defeated L-R, 10-1, in Friday's second contest.
Neidigh led off the game with a double and added a two-run single in the fourth inning and a two-run homer, her fifth of the season, in the decisive sixth inning. Junior Charlotte Sieber was 2-for-4 on the afternoon, with a double and a single and scored twice, while sophomore Bri Cason added a pair of singles in four at-bats. Junior Danielle Swygert blasted her eighth home run of the season in the sixth inning.
Junior hurler Lauren Bell (21-6) tossed her 26th complete game of the season, while surrendering two runs (one earned) on five hits. She struck out five and did not walk a batter.
North Georgia sophomore Melissa Dickie (11-6) suffered the loss for the Saints, while giving up six runs (three earned) on eight hits in 5 1/3 innings of work. She struck out two and walked three.
The Saints capitalized on a pair of defensive miscues by the Trojans to take a quick 1-0 lead in the bottom of the first inning, but AU evened the score at one apiece in the third inning, as Sieber notched a one-out single back to Dickie in the circle and moved into scoring position when the pitcher misplayed the throw. Sieber crossed the plate on Abby Child's clutch two-out single down the left-field line.
Neidigh's two-run single in the fourth inning snapped the tie and proved to be the game-winning hit, as Cason and sophomore Rebecca Martin crossed the plate, giving Anderson a 3-1 advantage.
Anderson sent 10 batters to the plate and scored four times in the pivotal sixth frame, as Neidigh and Swygert slammed back-to-back one-out home runs, accounting for three of AU's runs.
2013 NCAA Division II Softball
Southeast Regional Tournament No. 2
Hickory, N.C. (Bears Field)
Friday, May 10
Game One: No. 6 Anderson 7, No. 3 North Georgia 2
Game Two: No. 7 Georgia College 10, No. 2 Lenoir-Rhyne
1
Saturday, May 11
Game Three: No. 6 Anderson (38-13) vs. No. 7 Georgia College
(37-15), 2:00 p.m.
Game Four: No. 3 North Georgia (36-13) at No. 2
Lenoir-Rhyne (35-15), 4:30 p.m.
Game Five: Game Three loser vs. Game Four winner, 7:00 p.m.
Sunday, May 12
Game Six (Championship): Game Three winner vs. Game Five
winner, Noon
Game Seven (if necessary): 2:30 p.m.
