DAHLONEGA, Ga. - The 25th-ranked and fifth-seeded Anderson University softball team opened NCAA Southeast Region Tournament play by falling to fourth-seeded Catawba, 13-4, Friday at North Georgia's Haines and Carolyn Hill Stadium.
Anderson (39-14) posted four runs, but was unable to overcome the Indians' two-out hitting, and fell to Catawba for the fourth time this season. The Trojans dropped into the elimination bracket and will square off against No. 8 seed Limestone, which lost to top-seed and nationally sixth-ranked North Georgia at 2:30 p.m. on Saturday.
Catawba (30-15), which is making its second appearance in the NCAA Tournament and first since 2012, earned their first-ever victory in the postseason event and will face the host Nighthawks Saturday at noon.
Freshman Chelsea Jones posted one of Anderson's four hits on the day and scored once, while senior Jessica Neidigh added a double and a walk. Junior Molly Child notched a single, with senior Rebecca Martin posting an RBI-double in the fourth inning.
Jones fell to 14-6 on the season after surrendering three runs (two earned) on three hits in 2 2/3 innings in the circle. She struck out two and walked two. Sophomore hurler Lauren Rudesheim (18-7) tossed 2 2/3 innings of relief, while allowing 10 runs (eight earned) on 10 hits. The right-hander struck out three and walked one.
The Trojans posted a pair of runners in the top of the first inning, but were unable to capitalize, as Neidigh led off the contest with a walk and stole second one out later. Two batters later, Jones was hit by a pitch to get two runners on with two out, but AU came away empty-handed.
The Indians' Kristen Stinnard led off the bottom of the frame by beating out an infield single, but Jones retired the next three batters, including back-to-back strikeouts to end the inning.
A one-out home run off the bat of Catawba sophomore Katherine Shumaker gave the Indians a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the second inning, with Kim Fesperman following an out later with a two-out walk, but was caught stealing to end the inning.
The game was delayed for almost exactly three hours in the top of the third inning due first to rain, then lightning in the area, with a full count on Anderson freshman Carli Hurtado. Following the pause, Hurtado drew a walk to officially lead off the inning. The shortstop moved to third when Neidigh and Child both grounded out to the right side of the infield, but was stranded at third.
Catawba added four runs with two outs, including three unearned scores, in the decisive third inning. A two-out solo homer by Catawba's Caroline Turner boosted the Indians' advantage to two runs and following back-to-back singles from Natalie Naturile and Taylor Adams, Catawba took a 5-0 lead on a defensive miscue by the Trojans and another single.
AU's Bri Cason was hit by a pitch with one out in the top of the fourth and scored Anderson's first run of the contest when Martin's two-out double reached the gap in left-center field.
AU added three runs in the fifth when Neidigh slapped an opposite-field double with one out in the top of the inning and the Trojans got runners on the corners after Child lifted a single into shallow right field. Two batters later Jones laced a line drive to left center and AU took advantage of back-to-back Catawba errors to battle back within 5-4, with Neidigh, Child and Jones crossing the plate.
But Catawba answered with a two-out, two-run homer in the bottom
of the from Gina Gerone to stretch the Indians' edge back to 7-4
and added six more runs in the sixth inning to set the final
score.
