ANDERSON, S.C. - Freshman Cailah Niles laced a walk-off single in the opener and sophomore Lauren Rudesheim tossed her first no-hitter of the season in the nightcap to lift 22nd-ranked Anderson to a sweep of Brevard, 3-2 and 7-1, in South Atlantic Conference softball action Friday afternoon at Smethers Field.

With the sweep, AU remains in contention for a share of the conference's regular-season title, as the Trojans trail league-leading Carson-Newman by two games. If Anderson sweeps Coker on Saturday and the Eagles stumble twice at Queens, the Trojans and C-N would finish the season even in the standings. However, the Eagles have already claimed the top seed in next week's SAC Tournament after sweeping AU earlier this month.

With a split against the Cobras, the Trojans would claim the second seed in the conference tourney, as the Trojans lead Catawba and Lenoir-Rhyne by two games.

Anderson (33-11, 14-6 SAC) opened its final four-game homestand of the season, by winning its sixth decision in eight outings and improving to 18-2 in the final season at Smethers Field. Brevard fell to 9-23 overall and 2-16 in the conference, with its eighth setback to the Trojans in the last 10 meetings.

Game #1
Anderson 3, Brevard 2 (8 innings)
Niles' game-winning single was the freshman's lone hit of the afternoon, while freshman hurler Chelsea Jones helped herself by going a perfect 3-for-3 at the plate, with three singles and an RBI. Junior Molly Child added two singles and an RBI, while crossing the plate once. The center fielder was also hit by a pitch in the fifth inning.

Jones improved to 13-4 on the season with her seventh complete game. The right-hander scattered six hits over eight innings of work, while allowing just two runs (one earned). She struck out six and walked just one.

The Trojans scored the first run of the contest when shortstop Carli Hurtado led off the third inning with a walk, promptly stole second and moved to third on Child's one-out single through the left side. The freshman crossed the plate with the go-ahead run when Jones ripped a two-out single to center field.

Brevard countered by evening the score with a run in the top of the fourth frame and the score remained knotted until the first extra inning.

The Tornados capitalized on a sacrifice bunt and a single to gain a 2-1 advantage, but the bottom of the eighth inning saw Niles go the opposite way with her game-winning RBI, plating junior Molly Child from third as the Trojans rallied for the win. The freshman's heroics followed Child's single up the middle that scored senior Jessica Neidigh with the tying run.

Game #2
Anderson 7, Brevard 1 (5 innings)
Child added a single in the nightcap and walked twice, while scoring once. Hurtado was 2-for-2 and scored once while driving in two runs. Niles was 2-for-3, with two singles and drove in a run, with freshman Rachael Barefield posting a two-run double in the fourth inning. Sophomore Courtney Czentnar notched a double and scored twice. Senior Rebecca Martin walked twice and scored both times.

Rudesheim (13-6) lost her bid for a shutout in the fifth inning, but posted the no-hitter after striking out seven Tornados and walking six, for her 13th complete game of the season.

With much of the contest being played in a steady light rain, Anderson scored in each of the first four innings. With the bases loaded and one out in the bottom of the first inning, Bri Cason was hit by a pitch to force in the game's first run.

AU boosted its lead to 2-0 with another run in the second inning, as Hurtado beat out an infield single with one out and crossed the plate on Niles' one-out single through the right side.

The Trojans added a pair of unearned runs in the third frame to claim a four-run advantage by taking advantage of a walk, an error and a pair of singles.
Anderson posted three runs in the bottom of the fourth inning, with Barefield's two-out, two-run double into the left-field corner highlighting the outburst.

The Tornados got on the scoreboard following a pair of one-out walks and a Trojan error in the top of the fifth inning to set the score at 7-1, before the contest was halted after 4 ½ innings due to weather conditions.

Anderson closes out its regular-season slate on Saturday, when the Trojans play host to Coker at Smethers Field. The Senior Day doubleheader is set for 2 p.m.