CHARLOTTE, N.C.-The Anderson University softball team exploded for 16 runs and 14 hits to earn a doubleheader road split winning game one, 16-3 and dropping game two, 7-0 against South Atlantic Conference Queens on Saturday afternoon at Park Road Park.

NOTES
• With the split, the Trojans are now 29-9 overall and 7-3 in SAC play.
• Queens moves to 16-21 overall and 2-8 in conference action.

NOTABLES
• Leading the Trojans at the plate, junior Cailah Niles batted 3-for-4 with a home run and five RBI in game one. Niles is just six home runs shy of becoming Anderson's all-time career home run leader.
• Senior Courtney Czentnar went 3-for-6 on the day including picking up the lone hit in game two.
• Sophomore Michaela Smith batted 2-for-4 while drilling her fourth home run of the year.
• Junior Trudi Shuman collected two singles, a walk and scored three runs for the Trojans in game one.
• Junior Rachael Barefield went 1-for-3 hitting her first home run of the season. Barefield also scored two runs for the Black and Gold.
• Freshman Mattie Hamilton batted 2-for-5 with a double (12th of season) and three RBI.

PITCHING
Senior Augie Pena (13-3) got the call for the game one start pitching seven complete inning. Pena held the Royals hitless through the first four inning of work eventually giving up six runs while striking out 11 on her way to her 13th win of the season.

Allison Lopez (0-4) suffered the loss in 4.2 innings of work. The Trojans ripped 9 hits and scored 10 runs before Lopez was replaced with Evie Scott. Scott gave up five hits and six runs in 1.2 innings with Courtney Pearson's coming in to record the final two outs.

GAME 1
Anderson 16, Queens 3

HOW IT HAPPENED
• Fueled by solid pitching by Pena, AU held the Royals scoreless through the first five innings of play.
• Anderson scored first in the top half of the third inning on a solo home run by Barefield.
• The Trojans scored another in the fourth, four in the fifth and three in the sixth to go ahead 9-0.
• Queens was on the verge of being run-ruled before scoring three runs in the bottom of the sixth to extend play.
• The Royals started their final at-bat with a single with that runner quickly erased from the base path when caught stealing.
• AU's Pena retired the next two batters with a strikeout and an infield popup to seal the win.

GAME 2
Anderson 0, Mars Hill 7

HOW IT HAPPENED
• Queens held the Trojans scoreless in game two while scoring two runs in the second and fourth inning while tacking on a single run in the fifth and the final two runs in the sixth.
• Anderson only recorded one hit in the game when Czentnar singled in the sixth inning.

PITCHING
Senior Lauren Rudesheim (11-4) took the loss after giving up eight hits. Rudesheim walked one, struck out two while being responsible for five of the seven runs.

For Queens, Pearson (11-13) gave up just one hit while striking out nine Trojans.

ANDERSON STAT OF THE DAY
The Trojans recorded their second straight doubleheader split and the seventh on the season.

UP NEXT
Anderson returns home to host SAC foe Carson-Newman on Wednesday. First pitch of the doubleheader is slated for 2 p.m.