HICKORY, N.C. - The sixth-seeded Anderson softball team continued its run through the NCAA Tournament by rallying to defeat region favorite and second-seeded Lenoir-Rhyne, 6-3, to win the Hickory Regional of the 2013 NCAA Southeast Region Tournament, hosted by Lenoir-Rhyne at Bears Field on Sunday.

Anderson improved to 40-13 on the season and advances to meet either top-seeded and nationally fourth-ranked Armstrong Atlantic or fourth-seeded Columbus State in the NCAA Southeast Super Regional, which is a best 2-of-3 format. The Super Regional is slated for Friday and Saturday in either Savannah, Ga., or Columbus, Ga.

Lenoir-Rhyne, ranked 12th in the nation, saw its season end with a record of 37-16.

The Trojans moved into the Sweet 16 by avenging a pair of regular-season setbacks at the hands of Lenoir-Rhyne, which advanced to the Southeast Super Regional in both 2010 and 2011. The Trojans are bidding to become the first team from the South Atlantic Conference to earn a berth in the NCAA Championship, which is scheduled to be held May 23-27 at the Moyer Complex in Salem, Va., and will be hosted by the West Virginia Intercollegiate Athletic Conference.

Junior catcher Laura Jansky got the Trojans started offensively with her seventh home run of the season - a leadoff shot in the second inning that gave AU a 1-0 lead.

But Lenoir-Rhyne countered quickly, plating three runs in the top of the third frame and claiming a brief 3-1 edge. However, Anderson answered with a pair of runs in the bottom of the frame to knot the score at 3-3. Sophomore Jessica Neidigh led off the inning with the first of her two walks on the afternoon and junior first baseman Danielle Swygert followed with a single to right field. Both runners moved up on a wild pitch and scored on Molly Child's one-out single to right.

Junior hurler Bailey Smith, who entered the game in the top of the fourth, retired the Bears in order in the inning, and the Trojans snapped the tie and took a lead they would not relinquish with two runs in the bottom of the frame. Sophomore Bri Cason led off the home half of the inning with a single and Neidigh singled up the middle with two outs. Swygert then ripped a clutch double to right-center, plating both Cason and Neidigh with the winning runs.

The Trojans added another run in the sixth when Neidigh coaxed a one-out walk and crossed the plate on Abby Child's two-out single.

Smith gave up just one hit in four innings of relief in the circle for the Trojans. The right-hander improved to 18-7 on the season while walking two and striking out one. Lauren Bell started the contest for AU and surrendered three runs (two earned) in three full innings. She gave up four hits, while walking one and striking out one.

Jansky finished the afternoon 1-for-2, with the home run, while Abby Child added a pair of singles and a walk. Swygert was 2-for-4, with a single and the two-run double. Neidigh, who is hitting .458 on the season, notched a single and two walks. Freshman Molly Child posted a two-RBI single.