COLUMBIA, S.C. – Newberry College scored 19 runs in two games as it swept Benedict College in NCAA Division II women’s softball doubleheader action Tuesday afternoon.

With the sweep the Lady Indians improve to 18-14, while the Tigers fell to 7-21.

GAME 1: Newberry 8, Benedict 0 (6 innings)
 Katelin Edwards (Greer, S.C.) threw a two-hit complete game shutout to lead the Lady Indians to an 8-0 win in Game 1 of the doubleheader against the Tigers. Edwards struck out 11 Tigers’ batters in her six innings of work.

Newberry broke a 0-0 tie in the top of the third as the Lady Indians put three runs on the board. The first two runs came on one play as Amy Jarrell (Dover, Del.) walked and Aissa Gatewood (N. Charleston, S.C.) followed with a sacrifice bunt to the pitcher. The Benedict pitcher rushed the throw, sailing it past the first baseman. Jarrell came around to score and Gatewood soon followed when the pitcher earned her second throwing error of the play on a throw to third.

Sara Powell (Ocean View, Del.) followed Gatewood’s two run play with a triple to left center field. The sophomore was then driven in on a Kat Hammond (Irmo, S.C.) sacrifice fly.  

The Lady Indians added to their lead in the fourth when Hayden Kidd (Gaffney, S.C.) connected for a double and came around to score on an Angela Cataldo (Sumter, S.C.) RBI single.

In the top of the fifth the Lady Indians would add two more runs to their total. Gatewood reached for her third time in the game and scored on a Hammond double. Hammond advanced to third on an error then scored on an Ashley Marine (Peachtree City, Ga.) sacrifice fly. 

The Lady Indians scored the final two runs of the game one inning later as Kidd earned a lead off walk and scored on a Jarrell single. Jarrell then came around to score herself on a Powell single into left field.

Edwards picked up three straight outs in the bottom of the sixth to end the game as the Lady Indians run-ruled the Tigers.

Edwards was dominant throughout the game, the freshman allowed just two base runners and neither advanced past second base.

Gatewood was the catalyst for the Lady Indians on the offensive end, going 3-for-3 with an RBI and three runs scored.

GAME 2: Newberry 11, Benedict 1 (5 innings)
 Jesse Groves (Suwanee, Ga.) threw her first career complete game as the Lady Indians run-ruled the Tigers 11-1 in just five innings in Game Two of the doubleheader.

Newberry jumped out to a 2-0 lead as both Hammond and Marine connected for RBI singles.

In the third inning the Lady Indians added two more runs as Groves helped her own cause with an inside the park homerun to left center field. Chelsie Hilbourn (Loris, S.C.), who reached on an error, scored on the play as Newberry took a 4-0 lead.

A five run fourth inning helped to seal the run-rule decision for the Lady Indians. Tiffany Pigage (Lexington, S.C.) led off the inning with a single to left field and advanced second on a passed ball. A Richelle Mirabal (Tampa, Fla.) single to left field put runners on the corners with no outs. Newberry then scored its first run of the inning as Mirabal stole second and Pigage stole home on the throw.

After a Jarrell pop out to third, Gatewood reached and advanced to second on a throwing error by the first baseman, Mirabal scored on the play. Gatewood would then score on a Powell single to center field. Hammond continued the hitting barrage with a single of her own to center field. After Hammond and Powell advanced on a passed ball, Hilbourn connected on a shot to the left field fence for a bases clearing triple.

The Tigers managed their lone run of the ballgame in the bottom of the fourth when Ashley Robinson hit a triple of her own to the left field corner and scored on a ground out.

The Lady Indians earned back their run plus one more for insurance in the next half inning when Newberry loaded the bases and Hammond drove two in on a hard hit ball to the shortstop.

Groves picked up three groundouts to end the game after five innings. Groves’s drop ball was working all game as the freshman recorded seven groundouts and five strikeouts on the day.

Hammond led the way for the Lady Indians on the offensive end, going 2-for-4 with three RBIs and a run scored.

Newberry 8, Benedict 0 (6 inn.) (Apr 1, 2008 at Columbia, S.C.) (Game 1)
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Newberry............ 003 122 -  8 11  1
Benedict College.... 000 000 -  0  2  6
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Win-Katelin Edwards (9-9)  Loss-Ashley Robinson
T-1:30
Full Box Score

Newberry 11, Benedict 1 (5 Inn.) (Apr 1, 2008 at Columbia, S.C.) (Game 2)
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Newberry............ 202 52 - 11 14  2
Benedict College.... 000 10 -  1  8  3
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Win-Jesse Groves (2-1)  Loss-Shaneaqua Pringle
HR-Jesse Groves (3)
T-1:15  A-33
Full Box Score