ANDERSON, S.C.– Senior hurler Laken Maxwell pitched a complete game, one-hit, gem striking out 16 (11 straight) to help propel Anderson University softball (20-12, 9-1 SAC) to a game one win, 5-0, over South Atlantic Conference foe Tusculum (16-17, 6-6 SAC) before dropping game two,8-4, on Wednesday afternoon at the AU Softball Complex.

 Game One

• Maxwell began the game with 11 straight strikeouts finishing with 16. Tusculum's southpaw Emily Sappington struck out 12 Trojans.
• Anderson finally broke through in the fourth inning using a wild pitch and stolen base to score the first run of the game. The Trojans added another lone run in the fifth inning on a single by sophomore Carson Hobbs. Senior Hannah Whitaker blew the game open on a three-run home run to set the final score at, 5-0.
• AU's Jenna Davis and Hannah Whitaker each collected two hits with Whitaker hitting her ninth home run of the season.
• Maxwell (11-5) went the distance giving up one-hit, walking none and striking out 16. Maxwell leads the conference in strike-outs with 154, 50 more than the nearest competitor.

Game Two

• The Pioneers outhit the Trojans, 10-8.
• AU gave up four runs in the first inning cutting it in half after two innings of play. Sophomore Lauren Brakovec hit a two-run jack, her second home run of the season.
• Hobbs hit a solo home run in the bottom of the sixth inning to pull the Black and Gold within one, 4-3. Tusculum answered back with four more runs in the seventh inning. Anderson produced one run in the bottom half of the seventh eventually running out of outs to drop game two, 8-4.
• At the plate, Hobbs went 3-for-4.
• Graduate Morgen Baker-Celis got the nod in game two pitching two inning. Baker-Celis gave up six hits and four runs before being lifted in favor of Hobbs. Hobbs pitched the final five innings giving up four hits and four runs while striking out seven.

Next Up

Anderson will host SAC opponent Newberry on Saturday. First-pitch of the doubleheader is slated for 12 pm.