ANDERSON, S.C. - The Anderson softball team extended its win streak to eight games by outpacing Mars Hill, 8-7 and 11-2, in South Atlantic Conference action Friday afternoon at Smethers Field.

Anderson (27-5, 6-2 SAC) has won eight straight contests and 12 of its last 14, while improving to 11-1 at home on the season. The Trojans' record is the best mark in school history at this point of the season, eclipsing last year's 26-5 record. Mars Hill, which had won 10 of its last 11 contests entering the twinbill, slipped to 16-8 overall and 5-3 in the conference.

Game #1
Anderson 8, Mars Hill 7

Junior Samantha Young homered, singled and drove in four runs, including a walk-off double in the bottom of the seventh inning of game one for Anderson. Junior Bailey Smith added three singles, while scoring once and driving in a run. Junior Danielle Swygert added a double and a single, while crossing the plate twice. Freshman Molly Child was 2-for-3 with a run scored and sophomore Bri Cason notched a solo home run in the second inning, scored twice and recorded two RBI.

Junior right-hander Lauren Bell picked up the victory for the Trojans, pitching seven innings and surrendered six earned runs on nine hits, while walking five and striking out six to improve to 15-2 on the season.

Sophomore Taylor Hussey suffered the loss in relief, surrendering one earned run on three hits, while walking three.

Each team scored a solo run in the second inning, with the Lions' Jamie Hockaday leading off the Mars Hill second with a single and came in to score on an error with two outs, while Cason homered in the bottom of the inning to tie the score.

The Lions answered with three runs in the top of the third to take a 4-1 lead. Back-to-back singles by Ashley McCurry and Brittany Gibson set up Hockaday's three-run opposite-field homer. But Anderson countered in the bottom of the fourth with a three-run homer to center by Young that plated Cason and Smith.

The Trojans added three more runs in the bottom of the fifth, taking a 7-4 advantage. Laura Jansky's RBI-single gave AU the lead, while Cason added a sacrifice fly and Smith added an RBI-single.

MHC's Taylor Morris led off the sixth with a homer to cut the Trojan lead to 7-5 and Gibson scored on a wild pitch in the top of the seventh to cut the score to 7-6. Morris tied the score with an RBI-single to left.

Anderson loaded the bases in the bottom of the seventh on a double by Swygert, a walk by Cason and a single by Smith. Young's one-out single brought home Swygert with the winning run to give AU the 8-7 victory

Game #2
Anderson 11, Mars Hill 2 (5 innings)

Swygert was a perfect 3-for-3 in the second game and drove in three runs, while sophomore Jessica Neidigh added three hits and also scored three times. Molly Child recorded a pair of RBI-singles and crossed the plate twice. Young led off the second inning with her second home run of the afternoon.

Junior Bailey Smith (12-3) scattered six hits and gave up two runs (one earned) over five innings of work. The right-hander walked one and struck out one. Hussey absorbed the loss in the nightcap as well, giving up three runs (two earned) in two innings.

Mars Hill struck first on a triple by Gibson triple and an RBI-single by Robyn Stanek made the score 1-0 after the top of the first. Swygert tied the score in the bottom of the inning with an RBI-single, plating Molly Child.

The Trojans broke open the game with four runs each in the second and third innings.

Young's second homer of the day gave AU the lead for good at 2-1. Swygert picked up RBI-hits in each of the second and third frames, and Jansky drove in two runs with a double.

Shaundee Woosley added an RBI-single in fourth for the Lions, while Rebecca Martin added an RBI-single for AU.

The Trojans continue their homestand by playing host to North Greenville on Monday. First-pitch versus the Crusaders is slated for 4 p.m. at Smethers Field.