FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 2-21-04

College Softball: No. 14 AASU 3, Anderson (S.C.) 2
No. 14 AASU 3, Lenoir-Rhyne 1

SAVANNAH, Ga. – The Armstrong Atlantic State softball team picked up two key South Atlantic Region victories on Saturday at the AASU/Lenoir-Rhyne/Anderson crossover. The No. 14-ranked Pirates used an RBI single from Kissy Stepanova in the bottom of the sixth to edge Anderson, 3-2, while senior Katya Eronina struck out 11 in seven innings, giving up just four hits and one unearned run in a 3-1 win over Lenoir-Rhyne.

AASU (6-0) took a 2-0 lead in the first inning against Anderson as Michelle Davis knocked a one-out double that plated two to give the Pirates the lead. Anderson struck back in the top of the sixth with two runs on a two-out, two-run double by Shelly Sawyer. A two-out walk by Valeria Silvestrini in the bottom of the sixth, then a single by Stacy Oliver and Stepanova’s RBI single plated the winning run. Katy Perkins (3-0) picked up the win for AASU, pitching seven innings and giving up six hits and two runs while walking just one and striking out six.

In the Pirates’ second game, Eronina dominated the Bears, giving up just four singles while limiting Lenoir-Rhyne to one unearned run in the fourth inning in the 3-1 win. AASU plated one in the bottom of the first inning on a leadoff double, a fly out and a wild pitch that scored Silvestrini, and one in the bottom of the third on a Stacey Richardson RBI double. The final run came in the bottom of the fourth on an RBI single by Silvestrini.

In the third game of the crossover, Lenoir-Rhyne (1-1) defeated Anderson College (2-7) by a score of 7-2.

AASU will take on Lenoir-Rhyne on Sunday at 1:00 p.m., then close out the crossover with a 3:00 p.m. game against Anderson.

- Pirates -