NEWBERRY, S.C. – Kat Hammond went 7-8 with two homeruns as Newberry College split a double header with Belmont Abbey College Saturday Afternoon. The Lady Indians fell in the first game 13-11 before winning the second, 9-0 in five innings.

Newberry improves to 4-2 on the year while the Crusaders are 1-3.

Hammond (Irmo, S.C.) led the way for the Lady Indians as she finished her day going 7-8 with 7 RBI and eight runs scored. The junior had two doubles and two homeruns amongst her eight hits. Ginna Dean (Willow Springs, N.C.) went 6-8 with three RBI and three runs scored and Sara Powell (Ocean View, Del.) went 5-7 with two RBI and two runs scored.

GAME 1 Belmont Abbey 13, Newberry 11
 The Crusaders scored nine runs in the fifth inning as they overcame a six run Lady Indians’ lead to win 13-11.
 
Newberry jumped out to an early lead as the Lady Indians scored six runs in the first two innings.
 
In the first, Dean connected with a two out single to score both Hammond and Powell and give Newberry a 2-0 lead.
 
The Lady Indians opened up their lead as they scored four runs in the second inning. Three singles loaded the bases for Jesse Groves (Suwanee, Ga.) who helped her own cause with a sacrifice fly to score McKenzie Phillips (Wallace, N.C.). Hammond then picked up her fifth and sixth two-out RBI of the season as she connected with a double to right center to score both Amy Jarrell (Dover, Del.) and Aissa Gatewood (N. Charleston, S.C.). Powell finished the scoring for Newberry with a single down the left field line to score Hammond.
 
After Belmont Abbey scored an unearned run off a couple Lady Indians’ errors in the top of the fourth to make it a five run game, Newberry re-extended the lead to six in the bottom of the inning with a Hammond double, a Dean single and a Jessica Reid (Walhalla, S.C.) RBI groundout.
 
Belmont Abbey took the lead in the top of the fifth inning as the Crusaders scored nine runs on nine hits. Belmont Abbey took the lead with a three run, two out double by Dani Beres. 13 batters came to the plate for the Crusaders in the inning. The final score after five was 10-7 in favor of Belmont Abbey.
 
Newberry pulled to within one in the bottom of the sixth as Hammond got on with a single and Dean followed with a double putting two runners on with just one out. Richelle Mirabal (Tampa, Fla.) pinch hit for Chelsea Garrett (Auburn, Ga.) and came through with a hard hit single into the gap to score both Hammond and Dean.
 
In the top of the seventh Belmont Abbey again got on the board with three runs off Kristen Hicks (Bamberg, S.C.). The Crusaders put together a string of singles to score the runs and jump ahead 13-9.
 
The three runs would prove to be pivotal as Newberry tried to put together a two –out rally in the bottom of the seventh. Hicks hit a single putting one on for Hammond. Hammond continued her hot hitting as she connected for a homer to left center to pull the Lady Indians to within two at 13-11. Powell followed the homerun with a single which brought the tying run to the plate in the form of Dean. Dean made solid contact but right at the second baseman as she lined out to end the game.
 
Carrie Markham went the distance for the Crusaders earning the win while Katelin Edwards (Greer, S.C.) picked up the loss for Newberry.
 
The heart of the Lady Indians lineup did plenty of damage as they went 11-14 with seven RBI and seven runs scored. Hammond went 4-5 with four RBI and five runs scored and Dean went 3-4 with two RBI and one run scored.

GAME 2 Newberry 9, Belmont Abbey 0 (5)
 Newberry scored nine runs in the first four innings as the Lady Indians run-ruled the Crusaders, winning 9-0 in five innings.
 
Hammond continued her hot hitting as she went 3-3 with a HR, three RBI and three runs scored.
 
Newberry jumped out to a 3-0 lead in the bottom of the first as the Lady Indians used infield singles by Gatewood, Groves, Hammond, and Powell to score two and an RBI groundout by Dean to score the third.
 
After a scoreless second the Lady Indians again took the offensive as Hammond Powell and Dean singled to load the bases. A Mirabal single followed by a Hayden Kidd (Gaffney, S.C.) fielder’s choice and a Jarrell single scored the three base runners.
 
Hammond put the final punctuation on the game with a two-run homer in the bottom of the fourth inning. Groves hit a single on the first pitch of the inning which brought Hammond to the plate. Hammond connected on the second pitch from Crusaders’ pitcher Jessica McPherson and deposited it over the fence in left field for a two-run home run. After a hard lineout by Powell to centerfield, Dean connected with a triple to right center and she was driven in on a Mirabal sacrifice fly.
 
Edwards got through the top of the fifth on five pitches to earn the complete game victory, her second of the season. The freshman allowed just two hits and struck out three in five innings of work.
  
Newberry’s next double header will be Tuesday, February 12, when the Lady Indians host Southern Wesleyan University. First pitch for the double header is scheduled for 2 p.m.

Belmont Abbey 13, Newberry 11  (Game 1)
Feb 09, 2008 at Newberry, S.C.
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Belmont Abbey....... 000 190 3 -   13 17  1      (1-2)
Newberry............ 240 102 2  -  11 19  2      (3-2)
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WP-Carrie Markham (1-1)  LP-Katelin Edwards (1-2)  T-2:30  A-0
HR NC – Kat Hammond (2)
Full Box Score

Newberry 9, Belmont Abbey 0 (5) (Game 2)
Feb 09, 2008 at Newberry, S.C.
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Belmont Abbey....... 000 00 -  0   2  1      (1-3)
Newberry............ 303 3X -  9  13  0      (4-2)
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WP-Katelin Edwards (2-21)  LP-Jessica McPherson (0-2)  T-1:00  A-87
HR NC – Kat Hammond (3)
Full Box Score