DAHLONEGA, Ga. - The fifth-seeded Anderson University softball team defeated No. 8 seed Limestone, 2-1, but dropped its second decision in as many days to fourth-seeded Catawba by a 4-0 score on the second day of action at the NCAA Southeast Region Tournament, Saturday afternoon at North Georgia's Haines and Carolyn Hill Stadium.

Anderson (40-15) bounced back to defeat the Saints after a disappointing setback to Catawba less than 24 hours earlier and reached the 40-win plateau for the third consecutive year. Limestone, the Conference Carolinas champions saw their season end with a 28-15 record after reaching the NCAA Tournament for the first time in school history. Catawba improved to 31-16 on the season and advanced to meet the host and top-seeded Nighthawks Sunday afternoon at 1 p.m.

Game #1
Anderson 2, Limestone 1
Freshman catcher Cailah Niles reached base on a fourth-inning single and an error in the sixth inning, while sophomore Courtney Czentnar was 1-for-3 with the game-winning RBI-single in the sixth inning. The freshman duo of Chelsea Jones and Carli Hurtado each added a single.

Jones, who retired the first nine batters she faced, improved to 15-6 with the complete-game win, while limiting the Saints to one run on five hits and striking out three batters.

After both teams were retired in order in the opening inning, Jones led off the second frame by ripping a single to center and went to third when the Saints' defense misplayed senior Bri Cason's sacrifice bunt. But Limestone starting pitcher Josie Weber escaped further damage, as the Saints notched three consecutive outs.

Hurtado beat out a bunt with one out in the third inning and stole second on the first pitch. But the swift shortstop was erased at third on senior Jessica Neidigh's infield chopper. Neidigh then swiped second base on the next pitch, but was left at third to end the top half of the third inning.

Niles led off the fourth inning with hard single through the left side, with pinch-runner Allison Oxner moving into scoring position on Cason's sacrifice bunt in front of the plate. The freshman came with the game's first run when Limetone misplayed Czentnar's two-out grounder.

Jones lost her bid for a no-hitter when Limestone's Bailie Mabry led off the Saints' fourth inning with a single to center, but Mabry was stranded at second after the Trojan defense retired the next three Limestone batters.

Opponent's two-out hitting continued to plague the Trojans, as Limestone evened the score at 1-1 by posting three hits, including two with two outs in the bottom of the fifth inning. Sophomore Sam Thornton opened the home half of the inning by ripping a single just inside the third-base bag and eventually crossed the plate when freshman Sydney Turner singled up the middle with two outs.

Niles reached on an error to lead off the sixth, moved into scoring position on Jones' sacrifice bunt and went to third when Cason grounded out to first. The Phenix City, Ala., native crossed the plate with the go-ahead run on Czentnar's single just beyond a diving Thornton's outstretched glove at second.

Just as the Trojans took the field for the bottom of the sixth, the contest was halted for 75 minutes due to lightning in the area.

Following the pause, Saints' freshman Tessa Faucette opened the bottom of the inning with a bloop single down the left-field line, with junior Erika Hansen's sacrifice bunt moving Faucette into scoring position, but Jones retired the Saints on back-to-back fly balls to the outfield.

Jones then retired the Saints in order for the third time of the contest to claim her ninth complete game of the season.

Game #2
Catawba 4, Anderson 0,
Jones recorded one of the Trojans' three hits in the second contest and also reached base on a second-inning walk. Czentnar and junior Molly Child each posted singles to account for Anderson's other two hits.

Sophomore Lauren Rudesheim (18-8) went the distance for the 19th time of the season, while allowing four earned runs on 10 hits. The right-hander struck out four and walked one.

After falling to Catawba in Friday's opening round, the Trojans were searching for their first win in five meetings this season against the Indians, but AU was unable to overcome a three-run third inning by Catawba.

Catawba's Caroline Turner and Natalie Naturile posted back-to-back one-out singles to get two on for the Indians, and Gina Gerone drew a walk to load the bases with two out, but Rudesheim worked out of the early jam by inducing Katherine Shumaker to bounce out to Neidigh at second.

Holli Chandler ripped a double down the right-field line with two outs in the top of the second for the Indians, but the Trojans again escaped unharmed, while AU threatened in the bottom of the frame when Jones drew a leadoff walk. She moved to second on Cason's sacrifice bunt and on to third when Czentnar's bounced out to first base, but was stranded at third.

Four consecutive hits by Catawba gave the Indians a 3-0 lead in the third inning, as Turner's solo home run to lead off the inning snapped the scoreless tie and gave the Indians a 1-0 advantage. Naturile followed with a double to the gap in left-center and scored on Gerone's double down the left-field line to boost Catawba's lead to two runs. The Indians added another run on a fielder's choice before Rudesheim ended the inning with her third strikeout of the game.

Catawba added their fourth run with two outs in the fourth inning when Chandler led off with a double and scored on Naturile's single through the left side of the infield.

Rudesheim limited Catawba to one single over the final three innings, but the Trojans were also held to a lone single over the last three frames.