ANDERSON, S.C. - The Anderson University softball team snapped a three-game winless streak by splitting a South Atlantic Conference doubleheader, winning the opener 9-4 and falling 9-7 in the nightcap to Newberry Wednesday afternoon at Smethers Field.

Anderson (32-10, 10-6 SAC), which has already secured a berth in the conference tournament, equaled the school record for wins in a season, first set by the 2003 squad. Newberry (18-23, 2-14 SAC), which was coming off a sweep of Southern Wesleyan, has now won three of its last four outings.

Game #1
Anderson 9, Newberry 4

Sophomores Abby Child and Danielle Swygert each homered and combined to drive in seven runs in the opener, with Child going a perfect 3-for-3 and recording a season-high five RBI. The shortstop from LaGrange, Ga., also ripped a second-inning double, recorded a walk and scored three times. Swygert was 2-for-4 with a double, drove in a pair of runs and scored once. Freshman Rebecca Martin posted two hits in four at-bats and crossed the plate twice, while second baseman Jessica Neidigh added two singles in four trips to the plate.

Anderson jumped to a quick 2-0 lead in the bottom of the first inning, as Martin singled through the left side with one out and Child hammered her team-leading 13th home run of the season well beyond the left-field fence.

But the Wolves countered by sending eight batters to the plate in the top of the second inning and scoring four runs with two outs on the scoreboard to take a brief 4-2 advantage. Sophomore Casey Stevens led off with a double to left-center and following an infield out and a sacrifice bunt, Lindsey Workman drew a walk to put runners on the corners. Junior Tasia Diaz followed by singling to right field, plating Stevens and after Brittany Phillips singled to left to score Workman, sophomore Jennifer Yancey ripped a two-run double to right-center.

The Newberry lead was short-lived, however, as the Trojans answered with three runs in the bottom of the second frame to take a lead they would not relinquish. Child notched a clutch two-out bases-loaded three-run double high off the fence in center field, narrowly missing her second round-tripper of the afternoon.

Anderson increased its lead to 7-4 with a pair of runs in the fourth, with Swygert blasting her fifth bomb of the season, a two-out, two-run shot over the fence in right-center that scored Child.

The Trojans added solo runs in both the fifth and sixth innings to set the final score, as senior Amber Duncan reached first after her third strike was misplayed and came around to score on pinch-hitter Stephanie Hanvey's sacrifice fly to deep center.

Child led off the sixth frame with a walk, moved into scoring position on Swygert's double and crossed the plate on sophomore Laura Jansky's sacrifice fly to left field.

Duncan earned her team-leading 18th win of the season, while tossing her 17th complete game. The right-hander surrendered four runs on eight hits, while striking out two and walking three.

The Trojans worked Newberry starter Shelley Jeffcoat for five earned runs in 2 1/3 innings of work, saddling her with the loss.

Game #2
Newberry 9, Anderson 7

Neidigh finished the nightcap 2-for-4, with a two-run homer and also score three times. Freshman Bri Cason added her second home run of the season in four trips to the plate.

The Trojans rallied from an 8-1 deficit to climb within two in the sixth inning, but the comeback stalled in the final inning, as the Wolves held on for the win.

Newberry plated the first run of the game in the third inning, when sophomore Paige Brugh led off with a double and scored on Phillips' single through the left side, but Duncan worked out of a bases-loaded jam with no outs by recording back-to-back strikeouts in the heart of the order and getting the final out of the frame on a grounder to shortstop.

Anderson's bats woke up in the bottom of the frame, as Neidigh led off the inning by getting hit by a pitch and scored on Jansky's two-out single.

The Trojans were unable to escape the fourth inning unscathed, as Newberry again loaded the bases and erupted for seven runs in the inning, sending 10 batters to the plate. The Wolves loaded the bases with one out and plated six runs before AU notched the second putout.

AU's Hanvey led off the fourth inning with a double and Neidigh laced her fourth home run of the season with two out to trim the deficit to 8-3, but Newberry added a solo run in the fifth and led 9-3 heading into the bottom of the sixth.

The Trojans batted around in the bottom of the sixth, capitalizing on a pair of miscues by the Wolves, with Cason notching a one-out two-run homer over the left-field fence to highlight the four-run inning.

Duncan retired the Wolves in order in the top of the seventh and the Trojans loaded the bases with no outs in the bottom of the frame, getting the potential tying run to second. But AU was unable to capitalize, as Newberry held on for the win.

Duncan (18-7) suffered the loss, giving up nine runs off 10 hits over the seven innings. Kaylyn Camacho earned the win for Newberry, going 5 1/3 innings while surrendering seven runs and striking out six.

Anderson steps out of conference play on Thursday, as the Trojans visit local rival Erskine in Due West for a doubleheader. First-pitch is slated for 3 p.m. versus the Flying Fleet. AU wraps up the regular season on Saturday with a conference doubleheader versus Tusculum that is scheduled for 3 p.m. at Smethers Field.