ANDERSON, S.C. - The Anderson softball team opened a 12-game homestand by sweeping Belmont Abbey, 5-0 and 10-2, Tuesday evening at Smethers Field.
The Trojans (13-6) recorded their fifth sweep of the season, while Belmont Abbey dropped to 5-8. Freshman shortstop Abby Child blasted a walk-off home run in the second game to give the Trojans their 13th win on the season.
Casey Deer (8-5) started both games for the Trojans as she scattered just 10 hits over 12 innings of work.
Game #1
Anderson 5, Belmont Abbey 0
Both teams kept each other off the scoreboard for the first three innings of the opener, but in the fourth inning AU's Amber Duncan led off for the Trojans and came through with a single to start the inning. The next batter, Laura Jansky, also singled through the left side to put two runners on. One batter later, senior Kinsley Durham hit a double down the right field line to bring both runners home and give the Trojans a 2-0 lead. After a Brooke Lucas single, Kayla Hipp hit a bloop single to shallow right field to bring home Durham. Her third RBI on the season would leave Anderson with the 3-0 advantage.
In the fifth inning, with two outs, Durham doubled to bring home Duncan and make the score 4-0. Kayla Hipp followed by tallying her second RBI of the contest to give Anderson a 5-0 lead.
Durham led the Trojans as she went three-for-three with three RBI. Hipp went two-for-three with two RBI. Hipp's two RBI put her total at four on the season.
Deer started the game for Anderson, recording the complete shutout and only yielded five hits.
Game #2
Anderson 10, Belmont Abbey 2
Abby Child led the Trojans to victory in walk-off fashion, as she sent her fifth home run of the year over the right field fence in the fifth inning. The freshman's first walk-off home run in a Trojan uniform left her teammates waiting for her as she crossed home plate.
Leading 3-2 at in the bottom half of the fourth, Danielle Swygert recorded her first triple as a Trojan to bring home Lyndsey Huitt, who doubled to lead off the inning. Two outs later, Duncan hit a two-run homer to left field to give the Trojans the 6-2 lead. Three batters later, Cameron White would find herself at the plate with the bases loaded. The senior came through with a bases-clearing double to give the Trojans the 9-2 advantage.
Child went three-for-four with three RBI to lead the Trojans. Duncan and Huitt each went two-for-three.
Deer again gave a complete game effort for the Trojans, going five innings while giving up two runs off five hits.
Anderson gets back on the diamond quickly, as the Trojans play host to St. Augustine's College Wednesday at 2 p.m.
