ANDERSON, S.C. -- The Lady Railsplitters (13-16, 1-1 SAC) travel to Anderson, S.C. on Wednesday to pay a visit to the Anderson Trojans (21-7, 1-1 SAC) for a South Atlantic Conference doubleheader beginning at 2 p.m. Here's everything you need to know:
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Schedule/Game Day Links: Â
Wednesday, March 23 at Anderson - Doubleheader at 2 p.m.
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Quick Hits: -The Lady Railsplitters opened South Atlantic Conference play by taking one of two games at Wingate last Sunday in Wingate, N.C. In game one, Lincoln Memorial overcame a 3-0 deficit to knock off the Bulldogs 4-3 in extra innings.
Ashlea Hunter (Woodruff, S.C.) hit a game-tying, solo home run in the top of the seventh to send the game to extras, while
Meredith Johnson (Kenly, N.C.) drove in the winning run in the top of the eighth. Game two was a different story, though, as the Lady Railsplitters were limited to just one hit in an 8-0 loss in five innings.
-Nine different players have hit home runs for the Lady Railsplitters this season, which already exceeds the total from last season, when eight players went deep. The Lady Railsplitters have hit 15 home runs as a team, ranking fifth in the SAC in that department.
Jennifer Moose (Statesville, N.C.) leads the team with four home runs, while
BriAnna Schrimpf (Chandler, Ariz.) has two dingers.
-Sophomore right-hander
Brianna Taylor (Ooltewah, Tenn.) snapped a string of seven straight winning appearances in game two against Wingate, allowing seven hits and five earned runs in three innings of work. She was magnificent in game one, though, spinning eight innings of four-hit, three-run ball to nab her eighth win of the season. Taylor allowed just one hit over the final seven innings of that contest.
-The Lady Railsplitters begin a six-game homestand following Wednesday's trip to Anderson, hosting Coker on March 26, Tusculum on March 29 and Catawba on April 2.
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Notes on the Trojans:-Anderson kicked off SAC play by splitting a doubleheader at Coker on Sunday, losing game one 2-0 before bouncing back with a 4-2 win in game two. The Trojans started the season with a 3-3 mark, but ripped off 13 consecutive wins over the final three weeks of April to help build their current 21-7 record. Anderson is one of three teams, including the Lady Railsplitters, that is 1-1 in the SAC.
-The Trojans lead the SAC in earned run average (1.78) and batting average against (.209). Junior Augie Pena has powered Anderson on the mound so far this season, accounting for a 7-2 record with 87 strikeouts and a 0.99 ERA in 63 2/3 innings of work. Junior Lauren Rudesheim has also been rather dominant in the circle, tossing six complete games and compiling a 10-4 record. She has struck out 67 in 76 1/3 innings with a 1.56 ERA.
-Anderson is hitting .292 as a team and reaching base at a .391 clip, ranking third in the SAC in on-base percentage. A big part of that is the Trojans' patient approach at the plate, as they lead the league with 106 walks.
-The Trojans are led at the plate by sophomore catcher Cailah Niles, who is hitting .432 with a SAC-leading 33 RBI. She has accounted for eight doubles and six home runs this season. Sophomore middle infielder Carli Hurtado has produced 31 hits, a .341 batting average, two triples and 10 stolen bases. Stalwart senior outfielder Molly Child has amassed a .337 batting average with two home runs and 21 RBI. Courtney Czentnar (.256, 3 HR, 14 RBI) and Rachel Barefield (.215, 4 HR, 17 RBI) cannot be overlooked either in spite of their middling batting averages.
-Anderson has played almost the entirety of its schedule at home. Of their 28 total games, the Trojans are 17-5 within the friendly confines of the AU Softball Complex.
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Series History: -Lincoln Memorial and Anderson are dead even at 8-8 in the all-time series, with the Trojans holding a slim 5-3 advantage at home. The Lady Railsplitters split a doubleheader against the Trojans last season in Harrogate, Tenn., losing game one 8-5 before responding with a 6-4 win in game two.
-The Lady Railsplitters beat Anderson 8-0 in the opening game of the 2015 South Atlantic Conference Championship, as
Samantha Smith (Knoxville, Tenn.) threw a no-hitter to lead the way. However, Anderson would get the last laugh, eliminating Lincoln Memorial from the SAC tournament with a 3-2 win two days later.Â
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