Newberry, S.C.----The Newberry College Wolves rallied for a 10-5 victory over visiting Wingate University Tuesday afternoon in game one of a South Atlantic Conference softball doubleheader, while holding off a late Bulldog rally for a 4-2 game two victory. The Wolves improve to 26-13 overall and 9-5 in the SAC, while Wingate falls to 23-19 overall and 8-6 in league play.
Game One: Newberry 10, Wingate 5
Christina Linton and
Tori Caldwell each homered to lead the Newberry offense, combining to drive in five runs.
Mallory Gerndt added an RBI and a run scored, while
Natalie Willis contributed a hit and an RBI for the Wolves.
Sophomore catcher
Taylor Wells (Chesterfield, Va.) was two-for-two with three RBI to lead the Wingate offense in game one. Freshman infielder
Mary Claire Coyne (Knoxville, Tenn.) added a hit, RBI and run scored, while senior infielder
Katie McLaurin (Laurinburg, N.C.) was one-for-three with an RBI. Sophomore outfielder
Naomi Sapp (Guyton, Ga.) went two-for-three with two runs scored.
Wingate jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the top of the first, getting a Sapp leadoff double, followed by a walk and a flyout to put runners at second and third for Wells, who put the 'Dogs on top 2-0 with a two-run single.
The Wolves tied it in the second when Caldwell connected on a two-run homer, making it 2-2.
The Bulldogs regained the lead with a two-run third inning. Coyne plated the first run with an RBI single, while McLaurin's RBI single made it 4-2. Sapp scored on another Wells RBI single in the fifth to make it 5-2.
The Wolves tied it in the bottom of the frame when Linton connected on a three-run homer, making it 5-5. Newberry scored five times in the sixth to make it 10-5. The first three runs of the inning scored on Wingate errors, while a Gerndt RBI single and Willis RBI single put the Wolves on top by five.
Devon Morrison got the win, moving to 15-5. She allowed five runs on seven hits in seven innings of work, striking out four and walking two. Sophomore right-hander
Rachel Weidner (Greenville, N.C.) took the loss, falling to 12-9. She allowed six earned runs on nine hits in six innings of work, striking out three and walking two.
Game Two: Newberry 4, Wingate 2
Haley Simonds had a homer and two RBI to lead the Newberry attack in game two. Willis went two-for-four with an RBI and a run scored, while
Hailey Drawe added a double and a run scored for the Wolves.
Senior infielder
Misty Doran (Century, Fla.) and freshman infielder
Emma Swenson (Matthews, N.C.) each drove in a run for the Bulldogs in game two, while Sapp went three-for-three.
Simonds broke up a scoreless tie in the bottom of the fourth when she connected on a two-run homer. Willis scored on a Wingate error in the fifth, while a Willis RBI single in the sixth put the Wolves on top 4-0.
The Bulldogs loaded the bases in the top of the seventh, getting singles from Coyne and McLaurin along with a walk. Swenson's RBI single plated the first run of the frame, while Doran's RBI groundout made it 4-2.
Emily Marchbanks got the win, moving to 10-8. She allowed two runs on six hits in six innings of work, striking out six and walking seven. Morrison got the final three outs to earn her first save of the year. Freshman right-hander
Aubrey Reep (Eastover, N.C.) took the loss, falling to 11-10. She allowed three earned runs on nine hits in six innings, striking out one and walking three.
The Bulldogs are back in action Friday, hosting Carson-Newman on Senior Day at 1 p.m.
