ANDERSON, S.C. - The Anderson University softball team opened its South Atlantic Conference slate by splitting a twinbill with 25th-ranked Lenoir-Rhyne, winning the opener 4-3 and falling 9-0 in the nightcap Saturday afternoon at Smethers Field.

Anderson (20-4, 1-1 SAC) has won five of its last six games, improving to 20-4 overall and 1-1 in the league, while Lenoir-Rhyne moved to 20-7 and 2-2.

Game #1
Anderson 4, Lenoir-Rhyne 3

Freshman Jessica Neidigh went 2-for-4 with a pair of singles and scored twice, while sophomore first baseman Danielle Swygert was 1-for-2 and drove in three runs, including two with a first-inning double. Freshman Rebecca Martin also crossed the plate twice.

Anderson jumped ahead quickly, scoring a pair of runs in each of the first two frames to go ahead 4-0. Swygert notched her team-leading ninth double of the season, pulling the ball down the right-field line with the bases loaded in the first inning, scoring Neidigh and Martin. The Trojans capitalized on a pair of Bear errors in the second, with Neidigh and Martin each crossing the plate again.

Lenoir-Rhyne countered with two runs in the top of the fourth inning on a one-out home run over the right-field fence off the bat of senior Sarah Atkins. The Bears added a solo run in the sixth on the strength of three consecutive one-out singles, but Anderson starter Larissa Ostapiak (10-1) settled down to record the last two outs of the inning and set the Bears down in order in the final inning to earn the win.

Ostapiak gave up the three runs off five hits, while striking out five and walking two.

Game #2
Lenoir-Rhyne 9, Anderson 0

The Trojan offense stalled in the nightcap, managing just a pair of fourth-inning singles and Anderson was shut out for the first time this season. Martin recorded a one-out single, while shortstop Abby Child followed with a single down the left-field line.

Lenoir-Rhyne jumped ahead quickly with a pair of first-inning runs, then added three in the third and three in the fourth to put the game out of reach. The Bears gained a 9-0 advantage on a lead-off home run in the fifth and neither team scored in the sixth or seventh.

Senior Amber Duncan (9-2) suffered just her second loss of the season, surrendering nine runs (six earned) off seven hits, while striking out four and walking just two.

Anderson visits Brevard for a conference doubleheader on Tuesday, with game time set for 2 p.m.