WINGATE, N.C. - The Newberry College softball team was swept by Wingate University, 9-2 and 4-2, in South Atlantic Conference action here Saturday.

The Lady Indians finish the conference season 32-23-1 overall and 6-8 in league play, which ties them for a sixth-place finish. The team has one non-conference doubleheader at Anderson scheduled for 4 p.m. Monday before starting the Food Lion South Atlantic Conference Tournament on Thursday at Presbyterian College.

Wingate is 33-18 overall and 8-6 in the SAC, which ties the Bulldogs for second place in the league as they wrap up their regular season.

Game One: Wingate 9, Newberry 2
Wingate scored nine runs on 13 hits to take the opening game victory. The hosts started things early, as Bulldog senior centerfielder Kimee Lewis (Farmington, Utah) led off the bottom of the first inning with a stand-up triple over the head of a diving Newberry freshman right fielder Jessica Reid (Walhalla, S.C.). Wingate sophomore third baseman Hallie Pettigrew (Uniontown, Ohio) followed with a single to plate Lewis to give the Bulldogs a 1-0 advantage.

Wingate added four runs on five singles in the second inning to take a 5-0 lead. Bulldog senior second baseman Megan McPhail (Wade, N.C.) had an RBI single and a stolen base in the second inning. Lewis, sophomore outfielder Heather Winchester (Waxhaw, N.C.) and freshmen Celina Rocha (Baytown, Texas) and LaRonda McClain (Kings Mountain, N.C.) all had singles in the inning.

Newberry answered back with two runs in the top half of the fourth inning to narrow the Wingate advantage to 5-2. Sophomore second baseman Kat Hammond (Irmo, S.C.) started the inning with a lead-off double to the right-center field gap. Hammond advanced to third on a wild pitch and senior designated player Christina Kirby (Delmar, Del.) walked to put runners at the corners with no outs. 

Hammond scored on the second wild pitch of the inning and sophomore pinch runner/pitcher Stephanie Monette (Conway, S.C.) advanced to second. Newberry sophomore pinch hitter Amy Jarrell (Dover, Del.) recorded an RBI sacrifice bunt to conclude the Lady Indian scoring in the fourth.

Wingate responded with four unanswered runs in the fourth and fifth innings to take the 9-2 game one triumph. The Wingate fifth inning was highlighted by a Lewis two-RBI double down the left field line.

Lewis had a big game for the Bulldogs at the dish. The speedy Wingate lead-off hitter went 3-for-3 with a double, a triple, two runs, three RBIs and a sacrifice bunt. Bulldog senior outfielder Joy Henry (Virginia Beach, Va.) went 3-for-4 and scored one run.

Six different players recorded the six hits for Newberry. Hammond had a double and a run scored, while Jarrell added an RBI for the Lady Indians.

Wingate freshman pitcher Meredith Harris (Kittrell, N.C.) picked up the win in relief to improve to 3-3 overall on the season. Monette took the loss for Newberry, dropping her record to 15-11.

Game Two: Wingate 4, Newberry 2
The Bulldogs broke open a 1-1 game with three runs in the bottom of the sixth inning to take the nightcap. Wingate loaded the bases with two singles and one walk. Bulldog sophomore outfielder Heather Winchester plated the winning run with an RBI single, scoring senior outfielder Joy Henry, who had singled with one out.

Wingate freshman first baseman LaRonda McClain singled to score classmate Celina Rocha and re-load the bases. The Lady Indians recorded out number two thanks to a Wingate batter’s interference.

Bulldog sophomore third baseman Hallie Pettigrew singled through the left side to plate freshman shortstop Kelsey Emig (Glenmoore, Pa.) with the third and final run of the sixth frame. Earlier in the inning, Emig had reached on a free pass from Newberry senior pitcher Christina Kirby.

The hosts struck first, tallying one run in the bottom of the first inning. Bulldog senior centerfielder Kimee Lewis started the first with a single. Pettigrew reached on a bunt single to put runners at first and second. Both Lewis and Pettigrew moved up one base on a wild pitch. Lewis scored on an RBI single by Wingate junior catcher Courtney Wagner (Myrtle Beach, S.C.).

Newberry answered immediately, as freshman catcher Sara Powell (Ocean View, Del.) hit a mammoth home run to deep center field. Powell’s sixth round-tripper of the season tied the game at 1-1.

The Indians rallied with one run in the top of the seventh inning. With two outs, NC junior third baseman Ashley Marine (Peachtree City, Ga.) doubled to right-center field. Marine scored when freshman outfielder Jessica Reid reached on a Wingate error. Bulldog senior pitcher Ashley Green (Charleston, S.C.) got the final Newberry batter to fly out to end the contest.

In the game two victory, Green (25-13 overall) allowed one earned run on four hits. She struck out five and walked one in the complete game effort. Green pitched three shutout innings in the opener before giving way to freshman hurler Meredith Harris. 

Kirby (14-10 overall) took the loss for the Lady Indians. In six innings, she gave up four runs on 10 hits. Kirby struck out four and walked two. Offensively, Marine was the only Newberry hitter to accumulate two hits in the nightcap.

Winchester, Pettigrew and Wagner notched two hits each for the Bulldogs in game two. All three Bulldogs contributed one RBI in the 4-2 victory.

Special thanks to Wingate University Sports Information's David Sherwood and Joe Weidman for their assistance with this article.

Game Two:
Wingate University 4, Newberry College 2

  ------------------------------------------------------------
  Newberry College.... 010 000 1 -  2  4  0      (32-23-1)
  Wingate University.. 100 003 X -  4 10  1      (33-18)
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  Pitchers: Newberry College - Kirby. Wingate University - Ashley Green.
  Win-Ashley Green(25-13)  Loss-Kirby(14-10)  T-1:35  A-401
  HR NEW - Powell (6)