HARROGATE, TENN. – With both teams playing high level softball, Anderson University came up just short in the instant classic, falling to the fourth-seeded Railsplitters on their home turf, 4-3, on Saturday afternoon in the SAC Softball Championship semifinal round at Dorothy Neely Field.
Lincoln Memorial struck first, scoring solo runs in the first and fifth innings of play to take a, 2-0, over the Trojans.
Anderson used its fifth-inning magic once again to overtake the lead, scoring three runs. With one out, senior Sydney Belcher singled to center field, followed by junior Olivia Wheeler single to left field advancing Belcher to second. After inserting a pinch runner for Belcher (Maggie Massey), senior Gracie Williams singled to right center to load the bases for senior Kayson Boatner. Boatner drilled a line drive out to left field to score Massey from third. Senior Morgan Charter was credited with a double to right field that pushed across Williams and Wheeler to give the Black and Gold a, 3-2 lead.
Neither team scored in their respective halves of the sixth inning, setting up the seventh inning dramatics. Lincoln Memorial's Madison Henry led the inning off with a double, moving to third on a sacrifice bunt. LMU's Sierra Huckabee lined out to right field to give the Trojans two-outs. The next two batters for the Railsplitter's walked and was hit-by-pitch to load the bases. AU sophomore Hannah Whitaker fielded the next batter's ball deep in the hole with the runner just beating her throw to third, scoring Henry to tie the game. LMU's Katie Tuggle drew, what proved to be, the game-winning walk to put the Railsplitter's up, 4-3.
Anderson's Wheeler led the bottom of the seventh inning off with a single and was moved to second by Williams SAC bunt. LMU intentionally walked Boatner with Wheeler and Boatner both left stranded to end the game.
Senior Harlie Duncan and sophomore Laken Maxwell (20-5) shared pitching duties. Duncan pitched four innings, giving up three hits and two runs. Maxwell pitched the final three innings, giving up three hits and two runs.
The Trojans just missed returning to its first SAC Softball Championship finals, since 2019, while LMU returns for the second straight season.
Anderson will learn its fate for the NCAA Tournament when final rankings are revealed on Sunday, May 8th.
