Courtesy of Newberry College Athletics
NEWBERRY – On a day in which the Newberry College softball team (6-5, 0-0 South Atlantic Conference) had two pitchers throw complete games and allowed just five combined hits, the team split their Saturday double bill with the Fairmont State Falcons (2-4) and Lees-McRae Bobcats (6-2). The Wolves first defeated the Falcons 9-1 in six innings and then fell to the Bobcats 3-0.
Sophomore pitcher Lindsey Foster (Griffin, Ga.) threw six innings in the circle in game one and allowed just one run on two hits. She struck out nine batters in her winning effort. Junior second baseman Tori Rose (Moncks Corner) went two-for-three with three RBIs and a run scored in the run-rule victory for the Wolves. Junior pitcher Olivia Chestnut (Mount Dora, Fla.) threw seven innings of three-hit ball but received the loss in game two against the Bobcats. Chestnut allowed three runs, one earned, while striking out 14 and walking just one batter. Four Wolves each recorded one hit as the team outhit the Bobcats in the second game of the day.
Game One:
After allowing one run in the top of the first inning, the first game of the day was all Newberry. The Wolves scored their first run of the game on an RBI single from freshman catcher Molly Mattas (Duncan) who later scored on a double from junior designated player Sierra Brogdon (Leesburg, Ga.).
The bottom of the second inning, sophomore right fielder Leah Evans (Pageland) and Brogodon kept the ball on the ground for the Wolves’ third and fourth runs of the day. Junior third baseman Hailey Hill and senior first baseman Lindsey Mitchell (Fairfield, Ohio) hit back-to-back bases loaded singles to plate two more runs for the Wolves. With the bases still loaded, Rose knocked in two more runs with a two-out double to left center field, giving the Wolves a seven-run lead.
The teams traded quick, one-hit innings in the third and likewise made quick work of the fourth inning. Just six batters came to bat in the fifth inning as both sides went down in order. The Falcons again went down in order in the top of the sixth as Foster picked up her ninth strikeout of the game.
With two outs and runners on first and second, Rose hit a ground ball to third base that caused the Falcons’ third baseman to make an error and Brogdon headed for the plate as the game-ending run. Initially, the home plate umpire called that the Wolves’ junior was tagged out, but a conference with the field umpire overturned the call and the game ended as the Wolves’ lead grew to eight runs, 9-1, in the sixth inning.
Game Two:
Through the first four innings, just two runners reached base, both Newberry Wolves.
After the first batter of the fourth inning reached on an error in left field by the Wolves and a single put runners on first and second, a sacrifice bunt by the Bobcats put two runners in scoring position with one out. Lees-McRae scored the first run of the game on a sacrifice fly and doubled their lead on the next at-bat as Chestnut threw a wild pitch. She regrouped and recorded the final out of the inning against the next batter.
The Wolves collected their first two hits of the game in the bottom of the fourth inning. But with runners on first and second, an inning-ending double play to third base stopped the Wolves’ chance of cutting into the lead.
The Wolves collected one hit in each of the next two innings, but a double play ended the chance in the fifth and two consecutive outs ended the sixth for the Wolves.
The Bobcats added one run to their total on a home run in the top of the seventh and the Wolves’ day on the diamond ended as Newberry went down in order in the seventh. The Wolves fell to the Bobcats 3-0.