HARROGATE, TENN. - No.6 Anderson University (28-24) softball's valiant effort falls short against No.3 Lincoln Memorial (33-16) in a must win situation in the Opening Round of the South Atlantic Conference Tournament at Dorothy Neely Softball Complex.

A pair of seventh-inning insurance runs lifted Lincoln Memorial to a 5-2 victory over Anderson, fueled by timely hitting from Anna Kate Reichter and Hanna Bogoski.

Reichter led the Railsplitters at the plate, going 3-for-5 with an RBI and two stolen bases. Lincoln Memorial extended its lead in the second when Reichter delivered an RBI single to right field, scoring Nicole Couvertie.

Anderson answered with a run in the bottom half of the second on a double by sophomore Paige Vickery (3-for-3) and tied the game in the third when junior Shelby Bandt ripped an RBI double down the left-field line.

The Railsplitters regained the lead in the fifth after Couvertie's sacrifice fly brought home Kristin Griffin, who had singled to start the inning. Lincoln Memorial added crucial insurance runs in the seventh.

Anderson threatened in the sixth after a throwing error allowed junior Carson Hobbs to reach second, but the Trojans stranded two runners. Anderson managed only one hit over the final two innings.The Black and Gold stranded seven runners with LMU leaving nine ducks on the pond.

LMU's Halle Grace Patton earned her 23^rd win of the season. Hobbs (4-4) was tagged with the loss, after returning to the circle from missing 22 games with an injury. The native of Nicholson, Ga. recorded a season-high seven strikeouts.