AIKEN, S.C. - The Newberry College softball team was swept in a doubleheader at USC Aiken on Thursday, dropping Game One, 2-1, and Game Two, 6-1.

Newberry falls to 22-15-1, while USC Aiken is now 25-16 on the year.

Game One: USC Aiken 2, Newberry 1
The Lady Pacers used the long ball to down the Lady Indians in the first game of the day.

A solo homerun by Jessica Strickland (13) in the bottom of the first gave USCA an early lead. That homer broke Aiken's single-season record for round-trippers.

Lady Pacer pitcher Samantha Blair (14-10) held Newberry at bay until the top of the seventh inning, when Sara Powell (Ocean View, Del.) led the frame off with a double to left on a full count.

Senior Jenny Raines (Blythewood, S.C.) wasted no time capitalizing on the situation, as she singled the first pitch of the at-bat up the middle to plate Powell and tie the game at 1-all. However, the Lady Indians were unable to push one more run across.

Sherelle Brooks (5) ended the game with a walk-off homerun on a 3-1 count to put an end to Newberry's six-game winning streak.

Newberry pitcher Kristen Hicks (2-2, Bamberg, S.C.) gave up two runs - both earned - on five hits, walking four and striking out five in six innings. The Lady Indians tagged Blair for seven hits, but the Lady Pacer pitcher struck out eight, stranding four Newberry runners in scoring position.

Game Two: USC Aiken 6, Newberry 1
Newberry was pounded for 10 hits, as USCA took an early lead and the Lady Indians were unable to respond.

Ashley Dyches plated Megan Lakes on a sacrifice fly in the second before USCA burst the game open with a three-run third. The Lady Pacers loaded the bases on three consecutive singles, and leadoff batter Krista Bashline scored on a wild pitch. Newberry put the next two batters out, but was unable to escape the jam without further harm, as Lakes hit an RBI single to right, and Brooks scored on a double steal to make it 4-0.

The bottom of the fifth saw the Lady Pacers score their final two runs on a two-run single by Keisha Venable.

In the sixth, Raines got on base with a double and was plated on a Christina Kirby (Delmar, Del.) RBI single, but the inning ended with two Lady Indians on base.

Newberry left nine runners on base in the game, and was an uncharacteristic 2-of-19 with runners on base.

Starting pitcher Stephanie Monette (9-8, Conway, S.C.) gave up six runs - three earned - in 4-1/3 innings of work on eight hits, one walk and four strikeouts. Kirby gave up two hits in 1-2/3 innings of relief.

The Lady Indians' next action comes on Saturday, as they open South Atlantic Conference play with a twinbill at Carson-Newman College. First pitch at the Lady Eagle Softball Complex in Jefferson City, Tenn. is slated for 1 p.m. Newberry's next home games are on Monday, as North Greenville University visits for a 2 p.m. doubleheader.