SPARTANBURG, S.C. – Sarah Lynch (Pompano Beach, Fla.) hit a two-run walk off home run to center field, ending the game and giving Newberry an 8-6 win over Fairmont State University in day-one action at the South Carolina Fast Pitch Classic in Spartanburg, S.C.  The Lady Indians fell to West Virginia Wesleyan College 2-1 in their tournament opener.  With the day-one split, Newberry moves to 11-19-1 overall. 

Fairmont State chased Newberry’s starting pitcher McKenzie Phillips (Wallace, N.C.) in the first inning by scoring three runs on two hits and forcing two errors.  The Lady Indians rallied back in their half of the inning with two runs, highlighted by a Christina Kirby (Delmar, Del.) solo home run to right center.  The Newberry defense held tight in the second and added three more runs after Courtney Lindler (Irmo, S.C.) cleared the bases with a double to right center.

The Falcons weren’t about to surrender as they came storming back to tie the game in the third with back-to-back solo jacks.  A Lynch RBI gave Newberry one more run in the fifth, while Deana Groves forced another tie with her sixth inning RBI single. 

After Newberry held the Falcons scoreless in the seventh, Jessica Jackson (Batesburg, S.C.) got the Lady Indians going with her fourth infield hit of the game.  An error moved her to second and Lindler’s sacrifice bunt got her to third.  With the game on the line, Lynch stepped up with her fifth blast of the season. 

Kirby, who struck out four and gave up just three hits, picked up the win in relief effort moving her record to 5-8.  Amy Filius was charged with the loss.  Jackson went 4-for-4 on the game with four runs scored, while Lynch and Lindler combined for seven RBIs.   

Game one remained scoreless for three innings, until West Virginia Wesleyan put two runs on the board in the top of the fourth.  Newberry starter Kirby walked in the first run and a fielding error scored the second.  Newberry scored their lone run in the fifth after Ashleigh Anderson (Barnwell, S.C.) scored Betsy Shealy (Leesville, S.C.) with a single.  Neither team was able to score for the rest of the game, leaving the Lady Indians with the loss. 

Kirby picked up the loss for Newberry, while Cory Karcesky got the win for the Bobcats.

Newberry, along with West Virginia Wesleyan and Fairmont State, are all in action tomorrow on day-two of the tournament.  The Lady Indians are scheduled to play Bluefield State College at 12 p.m. and Queens University at 2 p.m.  West Virginia Wesleyan and Fairmont State are both scheduled to play at 12 p.m., with the Bobcats taking on Columbus State and the Falcons facing UNC Pembroke.  A single elimination tournament based on Friday and Saturday round robin play will begin tomorrow evening.