Due West, SC – Anderson University used the long ball, launching three three-run home runs, to take two games from the Flying Fleet at the Erskine Softball Field in Conference Carolinas softball action. 

In the first game, Anderson scored first in the top of the third inning when Kasey King hit a three-run shot to centerfield driving in Meredith Knox and Emily Monteith.  The Fleet came right back scoring four runs in the bottom of the inning.  After back-to-back singles by Kelly Davis and Kayla Vinson, Lindsay LaPrad sent a smash over centerfield wall tying the game at three runs a piece.  Two batters later, Courtney Davis followed with a towering home run to give Erskine a 4 to 3 lead.  Anderson threatened to blow the game open in the top of the fifth by loading the bases on three consecutive base hits with no outs.  Freshman Kelsey Spurrier came in relief of starting pitcher Lauren Gunter to strike out the side and preserve the 4 to 3 lead.   In the top of the sixth, Anderson managed to get two batters on with two outs.   Emily Monteith drilled a line drive down the line over the left field wall for another three-run home run, giving Anderson a 6 to 4 lead.  Anderson almost gave the lead back to the Fleet in the last two innings.  The Fleet got a run back on an Anderson fielding error in the bottom of the sixth and had two runners in scoring position on another fielding error but the Fleet could not push them across.  Donya Cobb got the win for Anderson, pitching a complete game, and yielding 5 runs (4 earned) on 9 hits.  Kelsey Spurrier picked up the loss in relief, pitching 1.2 innings and surrendering 3 runs on 5 hits.  She struck out four.

The second game also had its share of the long ball.  Erskine’s Larissa Shannon drilled a home run down the right field line in the bottom of the second to give Erskine a 1 to 0 lead.  In the top of the fourth, Anderson got three of their four hits, including a three run home run by Elisa Sebastyan, to take a 3 to 1 lead.  Casey Deer scattered six hits over 7 innings, surrendering just one run, while striking out five.  Heather Richey took the tough loss, throwing 7 innings, giving up 3 runs on just four hits.  She also struck out five without surrendering a walk.