ANDERSON, S.C. - Juniors Danielle Swygert and Laura Jansky, along with sophomore Jessica Neidigh combined for 12 hits on the day, but miscues proved costly as the Anderson softball team dropped a nonconference doubleheader with Lander, 8-7 and 4-3, Tuesday afternoon at Smethers Field.

Anderson slipped to 30-10 on the season with its fourth consecutive setback, while Lander improved to 16-25 and has won five of its last six outings.

Game #1
Lander 8, Anderson 7 (8 innings)

Neidigh, the reigning South Atlantic Conference Player of the Week, was 3-for-4 in the opener and added a walk, while scoring twice. Swygert was 1-for-2 and reached base four times in the Trojans' first extra-inning game of the season. Jansky notched a single and a walk and drove in two runs. Junior Bailey Smith added her sixth home run of the season in the fifth inning and drove in three runs.

Junior Lauren Bell (16-5) suffered the loss, tossing eight innings and surrendering eight runs (four earned). The right-hander struck out seven and walked six. Junior Kelsey Davis earned the win in relief for Lander. She threw 2 2/3 innings of no-hit softball, while striking out two and walking one.

Pinch-runner Amanda Chastain scored the go-ahead run in the top of the eighth inning for Lander and Davis held AU without a hit in the extra frame, as the Bearcats held off a late rally by the Trojans.

The Trojans converted a single, two hit batters and three walks into a pair of runs to claim a 2-0 lead after the first inning, but Lander capitalized on four Anderson errors in the top of the third inning to take a 5-2 advantage. The big blow came off the bat of junior Taylor Donson, as the first baseman lifted a three-run homer beyond the fence in left-center with one out.

The Bearcats opened a 7-2 lead in the fifth, courtesy of freshman Bethany Beggs' two-run homer, but Anderson answered with two in the bottom of the frame and sent the contest into extra innings with a three-run sixth inning. Swygert led off the fifth with a walk and Smith blasted her two-out shot over the left-field fence to pull the Trojans within 7-4.

AU batted around in the sixth, rallying for three runs with one out. Neidigh ignited the rally with a single and back-to-back walks by Molly Child and Abby Child loaded the bases for Swygert, who also drew a walk to plate Neidigh. Jansky followed with a run-scoring single to center and Bri Cason was hit by a pitch to score Abby Child with the tying run. But Davis settled down to retire the next two Trojan batters.

Neither team managed to score in the seventh, but Lander snapped the tie in the eighth. Chastain, who pinch-ran for senior Alyssa Hartley after being placed at second base, moved to third on a sacrifice bunt and crossed the plate on a passed ball.

Game #2
Lander 4, Anderson 3

Swygert was 3-for-4 with a double and a pair of singles in the nightcap, while Neidigh added a pair of singles in four at-bats. Jansky also notched two singles in three trips to the plate. Abby Child drove in two runs with a seventh-inning double.

Bailey Smith (14-5) absorbed the setback for Anderson, surrendering four runs (three earned) over seven innings. She struck out one and walked three. Davis (8-8) also earned the win in game two, giving up three earned runs on 10 hits, while striking out three.

Lander junior Chasity Davis provided the only scoring through the first four innings with a solo home run to lead off the second frame. AU evened the score when Samantha Young singled with one out and crossed the plate on Charlotte Sieber's triple.

The Bearcats took a 4-1 lead with three runs in the top of the seventh, but the Trojans rallied with two outs on Abby Child's two-out double to center. Molly Childs followed by lacing a liner that was snared by Donson at first to save the game-tying run from crossing the plate.

The Trojans travel to future South Atlantic Conference-member Coker on Thursday. First-pitch versus the Cobras is slated for 1 p.m.