FLORENCE, S.C. - Newberry College brought home two victories this past weekend at the Patriot Invitational hosted by Francis Marion University.  The Lady Indians pounded Wheeling Jesuit, 7-1, and West Virginia State, 8-3, while suffering setbacks against Lander, USC Upstate, and UNC Pembroke.

Rebecca Backman (Columbia, S.C.) batted in six runs in the tournament, including a solo homer off Pembroke's Nicole McCorkle, who had never surrendered a round-tripper in 1 1/2 seasons of collegiate play.  Backman registered a triple against West Virginia State, and a double versus Wheeling Jesuit.

Newberry opened with a win against West Virginia State and wasted no time getting on the scoreboard.  Backman, Sarah Lynch (Pompano Beach, Fla.), Kayce McLeod (Newberry, S.C.) and Jenny Raines (Columbia, S.C.) all drove in runs in the first inning, and Newberry never looked back in an 8-3 win.

Between losses to Lander and USC Upstate, Newberry sandwiched in a win over Wheeling Jesuit.  While the Indians' first victory over WJU this season was a 1-0 struggle, this game saw plenty of Scarlet offense as Newberry scored five runs in the first two innings.  Jessica Jackson (Batesburg, S.C.) singled twice, scored twice, and had an RBI before the Cardinals' sixth batter took the box.

It took eight innings for the Spartans of USC Upstate to put away Newberry in Saturday's final game.  Courtney Lindler's (Irmo, S.C.) two-run double in the fifth put the Lady Indians up momentarily at 2-1, but Upstate tied the game in the next half-inning.  USCU's Katie Adams drove in the winning run in the top of the eighth, and Newberry could not answer.

In Sunday's finale, Newberry challenged UNC Pembroke who led 2-0 after three innings.  The Lady Indians batted around and got four runs in the fourth inning off six hits.  Christina Kirby (Delmar, Del.) drove two runners home with a single up the middle to start the avalanche.  However, Pembroke answered back with five runs of their own in the bottom of the fourth.  Newberry closed the gap to 7-5 with a run in the fifth, but there was no more scoring.

Newberry readies itself to face Francis Marion Thursday at 2 p.m.