ANDERSON, S.C. - Senior Jessica Neidigh and freshman Cailah Niles combined for five home runs and drove in eight runs, as Anderson swept a nonconference softball doubleheader with archrival Erskine, 7-0 and 6-0, Tuesday afternoon at Smethers Field.
With the win, the Trojans claimed possession of the Beville Cup for the third straight year and fifth time in the last six years.
Anderson, which was playing its eighth game in five days, improved to 17-5 on the season with its 13th win in 16 decisions. Erskine fell to 6-10 with its sixth loss in seven outings. The Trojans have won seven straight and 11 of the last 15 over their nemesis.
The Trojans stranded 18 runners on the afternoon, including 12 in the nightcap, but ripped 18 hits, with eight for extra bases and drew 11 walks in the two games.
Game #1
Anderson 7, Erskine 0
Neidigh homered twice in the opener, while driving in three runs,
with junior Molly Child also going 2-for-4, with her third home run
of the season. Senior Bri Cason tallied a first-inning single and a
run-scoring double to the fence in the fifth inning. Freshman
Cailah Niles, who entered the doubleheader tied for fifth in the
nation in home runs, added a solo shot in the first inning.
Right-hander Augie Pena improved to 7-1 on the season by scattering three hits over 6 2/3 innings of work, while striking out nine batters and walking just one. Sophomore Lauren Rudesheim worked the final out of the contest.
The Anderson hitters set the tone early, with Neidigh and Child both greeting Flying Fleet pitcher Danica Newton with first-pitch back-to-back towering home runs to start the bottom of the first inning. Niles then lifted her ninth homer of the season over the fence in right-center to give the Trojans a 3-0 lead with no outs. The Trojans went on to bat around, and loaded the bases with no outs, but were unable to capitalize and push any further runs across.
The Fleet were unable to get a runner in scoring position until the fourth inning, when freshman Mia Blochviak reached on an error and moved to second when Sydney Smith bounced out to Neidigh. Pena then retired the side on back-to-back routine fly balls.
Neidigh led off the fifth inning with her sixth home run of the season to boost the AU advantage to 4-0, with Chelsea Jones and Cason scoring with two outs to put the game out of reach.
The Trojans added an unearned run in the sixth to set the final margin.
Game #2
Anderson 6, Erskine 0
Niles launched a pair of home runs in the nightcap and recorded
three RBI, while Neidigh, Jones and fellow freshman Carli Hurtado
each reached base in all four trips to the plate. Child extended
her hitting streak to eight games with a first-inning single.
Freshman Chelsea Jones tossed her first complete-game shutout to earn the win in the nightcap. The right-hander struck out five batters and allowed just four singles over seven full innings.
The Trojans capitalized on six hits to erupt for five runs in the bottom of the first inning, with Niles' home run accounting for two of the scores. Her second round-tripper of the game in the third inning pushed AU's advantage to 6-0 and wrapped up the scoring on the afternoon.
The Trojans open South Atlantic Conference action on Saturday at
Lenoir-Rhyne, with first-pitch slated for 2 p.m. in Hickory,
N.C.
