NEWBERRY, S.C. – Newberry College’s comeback bid in Game Two fell short as the Lady Indians were swept by No. 18 Carson-Newman College in South Atlantic Conference softball doubleheader action Sunday afternoon.

Newberry fell to 19-23 overall and 3-10 in the SAC while Carson-Newman improved to 42-6 overall and 12-2 in the SAC.

GAME ONE: Carson-Newman 9, Newberry 1 (6 innings)
 Newberry scored a run in the bottom of the sixth inning but it was too little to late as the Eagles run-ruled the Lady Indians 9-1 in six innings.

Carson-Newman pitcher Zoe Heim held Newberry to just four hits as the senior picked up her 25th win of the season.

The Eagles took a quick 2-0 lead in the top of the first as Jessie Howard scored on a wild pitch and Jessie Kuhlman scored on a Mandy Stevens RBI double to right field.

In the fourth inning, Carson-Newman extended its lead to 5-0 as Howard scored on a fielding error by Amy Jarrell (Dover, Del.) and Whitney Hickam and Kuhlman scored on a two-RBI single by Sara Little.

The Eagles picked up their final four runs of the game in the top of the sixth inning. Emily Hutchins drove in two runs with a bases loaded single and Whitney Kee and Howard each earned a bases loaded walks to give the Eagles a 9-0 lead.

In the bottom of the sixth, Sara Powell (Ocean View, Del.) walked and scored on a Kat Hammond (Irmo, S.C.) double. The Lady Indians could not sustain the rally though as Richelle Mirabal (Tampa, Fla.) struck out and Chelsie Hilbourn (Loris, S.C.) grounded out back to the pitcher to end the game.

Katelin Edwards (Greer, S.C.) earned the loss for Newberry after giving up nine runs on six hits and six walks in 5.1 innings. The freshman struck out five Eagles’ batters to move into second place in the Newberry record books for strikeouts in a season with 139.

GAME TWO: Carson-Newman 6, Newberry 5
 Newberry scored two runs in the bottom of the seventh inning to pull to within one of the Eagles, but the Lady Indians could not push across the tying run as they fell 6-5.

Carson-Newman again jumped out to an early 2-0 first inning lead as Hickam and Stevens hit back-to-back homeruns off Newberry starter Kristen Hicks (Bamberg, S.C.).

The Eagles appeared to be on their way to their second run rule victory of the day in the second inning as they pushed their lead to 5-0. Hickam hit a bases loaded single to score two and Stevens followed with an RBI single herself to give Carson-Newman a five run lead.

The Lady Indians got on the board in the bottom of the fourth with two runs to make the score 5-2. Aissa Gatewood (N. Charleston, S.C.) and Powell got on base to lead off the inning before Hammond drove them in with a two-RBI double.

Carson-Newman got one of the two runs back in the top of the fifth with an RBI single by Hutchins.

In the bottom of the fifth, Powell pulled Newberry back within three with an RBI single to drive in Jarrell.

With the score still 6-3 in the bottom of the seventh inning, the Lady Indians put together a late game rally. Powell led off the inning with a ground-rule double to center and Hammond connected for a home run over the centerfield fence to pull the Lady Indians to within one with no outs in the inning.

Newberry could score the final run though as Hilbourn hit into a fielder's choice, Mirabal struck out and Jessica Teague (Charlotte, N.C.) grounded out to the pitcher to end the threat.

Hicks was charged with her fifth loss of the season as she gave up six runs on 10 hits in seven innings. The sophomore falls to 7-5 on the year with the loss.

The Lady Indians will now move on to the 2008 Food Lion South Atlantic Conference Tournament scheduled to begin this Thursday, April 17. Pairings and game times will be announced by the conference office later today or tomorrow.

Carson-Newman 9, Newberry 1 (6 inn.) (Apr 13, 2008 at Newberry S.C.) (Game 1)
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Carson-Newman....... 200 304 -  9  6  0
Newberry............ 000 001 -  1  4  5
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Win-Zoe Heim (25-5)  Loss-Katelin Edwards(10-15)
T-1:43
Full Box Score

Carson-Newman 6, Newberry 5 (Apr 13, 2008 at Newberry, S.C.) (Game 2)
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Carson-Newman....... 230 010 0 -  6 10  0
Newberry............ 000 210 2 -  5 12  2
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Win-Stephanie Templeton (17-1)  Loss-Kristen Hicks(7-5)
HR:CNC-Whitney Hickam (7), Mandy Stevens (9) NC- Kat Hammond (8)
T-2:02  A-277
Full Box Score