HARTSVILLE, S.C. - The Anderson University softball team lost
the opening round of the double elimination South Atlantic
Conference Tournament to the #1 seed Lenoir-Rhyne, 4-1, on Thursday
afternoon at Byerly Park in Hartsville, S.C.
Anderson falls to 29-20 overall while No. 19 Lenoir-Rhyne
improves to 44-9.
The Trojans will play the non-winner of the
Carson-Newman/Lincoln Memorial in an elimination game while the
Bears will face off with the winner. Both games will be played on
Friday with first pitch slated for 12:30 p.m.
Lenoir-Rhyne 4, Anderson 1
INSIDE THE BOX SCORE
Freshman Kasey Grant and sophomores Carli Hurtado and Trudi Shuman
provided the only four hits for the Trojans with Grant hitting a
single to right field in the fifth to break up the no-hitter.
Hurtado beat out an infield single in the sixth and the seventh
inning while Shuman reached on a single up the middle in the
seventh frame.
Maryann Hoskins, an All-SAC Second Team honoree kept the Trojans guessing all game pitching a complete game victory. Hoskins recorded her 17th win on the season giving up just four hits while striking out 10.
Augie Pena (12-6) was tagged with her sixth loss of the season. Pena tossed five and one third innings giving up seven hits, walking three and striking out six. The Bears crossed the plate four times with three of the runs earned.
Pena was lifted in the bottom of the sixth with bases loaded in favor of sophomore Randee Bettis. Bettis faced three batters in the bottom of the sixth inning walking the first batter she faced forcing across the fourth run of the game for the Bears. Bettis then retired the next two batters she faced.
HOW IT HAPPENED
Lenoir-Rhyne jumped out to an early 2-0 lead during the third
inning scoring on a solo home run to right field then later scoring
Christina Walker on the RBI double by Jordin Phillips. The Bears
were able to tack on another run in the fifth and another in the
sixth to set their final score at four.
The Trojans lone run came in the top half of the sixth inning. Hurtado reached first on an infield hit moving to third on two straight walks to Madison Bivins and Cailah Niles. With one out, the Bears retired Molly Child bringing Pena to the plate with two out and bases loaded. Lenoir-Rhyne pitcher Hoskins issued her fourth walk of the day and third of the inning, giving the Black and Gold their first run of the game. Hoskins then forced Rachael Barefield into an inning ending fielder's choice to shut down the Trojans threat.
Anderson could not capitalize on two hits in the seventh inning falling to the No. 19th ranked Bears 4-1.
UP NEXT
The Trojans will play the non-winner between Carson-Newman/Lincoln
Memorial in an elimination game on Friday. First pitch is slated
for 12:30 p.m. at Byerly Park in Hartsville, S.C.
