ANDERSON, S.C. – No. T-20 Anderson University softball (33-5, 16-2 SAC) improved to 21-1 at home with the doubleheader sweep over South Atlantic Conference opponent No. 15 Lincoln Memorial (32-10, 15-5 SAC) positioning itself for a potential regular season SAC title, winning game one, 3-0, and winning game two, 4-0, on Wednesday afternoon at the AU Softball Complex.
"It is so tough to win," said head coach Tommy Hewitt. "However, we keep finding a way to do it."
In a battle for the top-spot in the conference and a battle between the top two pitchers in the SAC, Anderson's three runs was plenty of run support for sophomore Laken Maxwell to pick up her 18th win of the season.
The native of Bowdon, Ga., Maxwell pitched a complete game shutout, giving up just one hit while striking out 11 batters.
LMU's Emma Frost (18-4) was tagged with her fourth loss of the season, giving up seven hits.
Anderson sophomore Hannah Whitaker, junior Olivia Wheeler and senior Morgan Charter provided the fireworks in game one. Whitaker and Charter each homered, while Wheeler drilled two doubles. The Trojans scored one run in the second, third and fourth inning to set the final score at, 3-0. Senior Kayson Boatner was intentionally walked each at-bat in game one.
In game two, Boatner scored in the bottom of the first after being hit-by-pitch on a deep single by senior Jessica Neadow to put the Trojans up, 1-0. Anderson scored twice in the fifth inning on a clutch two-out double by freshman Maddie Carpenter and tacked on an insurance run on a double by senior Gracie Williams in the bottom of the sixth inning.
Senior Harile Duncan (14-2) continued her solid pitching, going the distance for AU. Duncan gave up five hits, while winning her 14th game of the season.
Anderson returns to action on Saturday when it hosts SAC opponent Coker for its final regular season home game. First-pitch is slated for 1pm.
