TIGERVILLE, S.C. – Anderson University softball split its season opener with a game one loss, 3-1, while fighting back to win game two, 7-5, against nonconference opponent North Greenville on Saturday afternoon at Jan McDonald Field.
With the split, the Black and Gold are 1-1 overall while North Greenville begins its season 1-1 overall.
GAME 1 North Greenville 3 Anderson 1
North Greenville limited the Trojans to just three hits. Sophomore Kayson Boatner and juniors Mattison Cantrell and Kennedy Burton each recorded a single for the Black and Gold.
In the top of the sixth inning, Anderson broke the ice first on the 0-0 game, scoring one run. The lead did not last long, as the Crusaders were able to post three runs of their own to set the final score at, 3-1.
Anderson's senior hurler Kayla Pepper (0-1) got the nod in the season opener. Pepper pitched a complete game tossing six innings, walking three batters and striking out nine.
North Greenville junior Jaelin Griffin (1-0) allowed just three hits while walking just two batters and striking out six Trojans.
EXTRA BASES
"We could not hit water if we fell out of a boat in the middle of Lake Hartwell, said head coach Tommy Hewitt".
GAME 2 Anderson 7 North Greenville 5
Sophomores Boatner, Sydney Belcher and Morgan Charter provided six of the eight hits by the Trojans in the second contest.
The Trojans fell behind, 3-0, through three innings of play, before cutting into the lead in the top of the fourth inning. Anderson used Boatner's single and a fielding error that extended the inning to allow for Belcher's fly out to right field to score Boatner from third. North Greenville responded in the bottom half of the inning with one run to push the score to, 4-1.
Both teams went scoreless in the fifth inning with Anderson knocking in three runs apiece in the sixth and seventh innings, using three hits and a Crusader error to give the Black and Gold a, 7-5, victory. Boatner, Charter and Belcher each singled in the inning.
Anderson junior Sarah Middleton pitched five innings before being lifted in favor of senior Harlie Duncan (1-0). Duncan faced six batters giving up one hit to earn the victory.
EXTRA BASES
"We gave up too many hits, but found a way to battle back to a win, said Hewitt. "I thought our outfield played outstanding all day!"
Anderson will open up its first regular season home contest, tomorrow, when it hosts nonconference opponent Winston-Salem State. First pitch is slated for 1 pm at the AU Softball Complex.
