SALISBURY, N.C. - The 21st-ranked Anderson softball team suffered its first South Atlantic Conference sweep in more than a year after falling 1-0 and 7-2 to Catawba, Friday afternoon at Whitley Field.

Catawba sophomore Kristen Stinnard's two-out infield single in the bottom of the seventh inning brought home freshman Delane Smith with the winning run, as the Indians edged Anderson in the opener. The Trojans recorded seven hits in the second game, but stranded 12 base runners in the setback.

Anderson (27-9, 10-4 SAC) saw its win streak halted at four and was shut out for the first time since falling at sixth-ranked Georgia College in early February. Catawba improved to 19-13 overall and 8-6 in the conference, while snapping a four-game skid at the hands of the Trojans.

Game #1
Catawba 1, Anderson 0
Anderson junior Molly Child posted a one-out single in the top of the sixth inning to break up Catawba hurler Carly Tysinger's no-hit bid, while freshman Chelsea Jones managed the other Trojan hit in the opener - a single through the left side with two outs.

Jones (10-3) absorbed the hard-luck loss after scattering five hits over 6 2/3 innings, while posting a career-high 14 strikeouts and walking just one batter. The freshman nearly out-dueled Tysinger (14-7), a former third-team All-America selection, who struck out eight Trojans and walked two with the complete-game effort.

Catawba threatened by loading the bases with one out in the bottom of the first inning, but Jones worked out of the jam with back-to-back strikeouts to end the inning.

Each team managed just four base runners apiece through the first five frames, with Child recording the Trojans' first hit of the afternoon by ripping a one-out single back up the middle. Child was erased on freshman Cailah Niles' fielder's choice, with Jones following with her single. But the Trojans were unable to plate either of the two base runners.

The Indians also threatened in the bottom of the sixth, posting runners at first and third with two outs, but, like the Trojans, Catawba was unable to score.

After the Trojans were retired in order in the top of the seventh, Catawba's Smith led off the Indians' seventh inning with a single through the left side and advanced to third on a bunt single to the right side by pinch-hitter Emily Honeycutt. Jones retired the next two Indians, but with runners at first and third, Stinnard posted her heroics on a 1-2 pitch.

Game #2
Catawba 7, Anderson 2
Senior Jessica Neidigh was 2-for-3 in the nightcap and scored both runs for the Trojans, while Jones added two singles and a pair of walks.

Anderson sophomore Lauren Rudesheim slipped to 10-5 on the season, while allowing seven runs (three earned) on eight hits over six innings. The right-hander struck out three and walked three. Tysinger collected her 15th win after surrendering two runs (one earned) on seven hits over seven innings. She struck out eight and walked five.

The Trojans wasted little time getting on the scoreboard in the nightcap, as senior Bri Cason's one-out bases-loaded walk brought home fellow senior Jessica Neidigh with AU's first run of the day. However, the Indians answered with five runs in the bottom of the frame, with Smith's two-run homer highlighting the scoring for Catawba.

Catawba added solo runs in both the third and fifth innings to build a 7-1 advantage before the Trojans countered with a run on Neidigh's 10th homer of the season in the top of the sixth inning to cut the deficit to five. But the Trojans would get no closer, as AU suffered its first conference sweep since falling twice to Lenoir-Rhyne in March, 2014.

Anderson will look to get back inr the win column on Saturday, when the Trojans wrap up their non-conference slate with a noon doubleheader at Winston-Salem State.