NEWBERRY, S.C. – Newberry College let two early leads slip away as the team was swept by Catawba College in South Atlantic Conference softball doubleheader action Monday afternoon.

The Lady Indians fell to 19-19 overall and 3-6 in the SAC while the Catawba Indians improved to 21-20 overall and 3-7 in the SAC.

GAME 1: Catawba 2, Newberry 1 (8 innings)
 Katelin Edwards (Greer, S.C.) carried a no hitter into the sixth inning but was unable to pick up the win as the Lady Indians fell 2-1 in eight innings.

Newberry took an early 1-0 lead in the bottom of the second when Ashley Marine (Peachtree City, Ga.) reached on a single to left center and scored on a Richelle Mirabal (Tampa, Fla.) RBI single.

The one run appeared to be all the Lady Indians would need as Edwards was dealing. The freshman struck out five Catawba batter in the first three innings of the game.

Catawba threatened to score several times but Edwards continually pitched herself out of trouble. In the top of the fourth the Catawba Indians put runners at second and third with one out but Edwards forced two straight groundouts to get out of the jam.

Edwards luck ran out in the sixth when Catawba’s Allie Marshall drove the ball deep to left center. Chelsea Chipoletti (Brooksville, Fla.) got her glove on the ball but couldn’t hold on, putting Marshall on second to lead off the inning.

After a sacrifice moved Marshall to third with one out, Jacqueline White connected for the first hit off Edwards. White drove the ball to the left center wall for a double to tie the game at 1-1.

The game remained 1-1 until the top of the eighth when a Catawba Indians’ single and fielder’s choice drove in the eventual winning run.

In the bottom of the eighth the Lady Indians put runners at second and third with one out but Aissa Gatewood (N. Charleston, S.C.) and Sara Powell (Ocean View, Del.) each struck out to end the threat.

Edwards was charged with the loss despite going eight innings and allowing just one earned run on two hits. The freshman dropped to 10-12 with the loss.

GAME 2: Catawba 7, Newberry 2
 The Lady Indians took an early 2-0 lead but were unable to hold it as Catawba rallied with a five run sixth inning to win Game Two, 7-2.

Newberry jumped ahead 2-0 early in the bottom of the first. Gatewood led off with a walk and was immediately moved over to second on a sacrifice fly. Marine was then hit by a pitch to put two runners on for Mirabal. Mirabal connected on a single to drive in Gatewood and record the first run of the game. Marine then came around to score on a ground out by Kat Hammond (Irmo, S.C.).

Catawba pulled to within one with an RBI single by Cassie Markham in the top of the third, but the score remained 2-1 until the top of the sixth.

In the top of the sixth, the Catawba Indians rallied for five runs as Catawba’s Marshall, White, Sam Vidal and Callie Gordy all recorded RBIs in the inning.

Catawba would add an extra run in the top of the seventh as Kathryn Geouge stole home for the final run of the game.

Edwards allowed five earned runs in six innings as she earned her second loss of the day.

Newberry returns to the diamond on Wednesday, April 9, when they travel to Wingate, N.C. to face conference rival Wingate University. First pitch is scheduled for 2 p.m.

Catawba 2, Newberry 1 (8 inn.) (Apr 7, 2008 at Newberry S.C.) (Game 1)
------------------------------------------------------------
Catawba............. 000 001 01 -  2  2  1
Newberry............ 010 000 00 -  1  4  5
------------------------------------------------------------
Win-Rachel Christian (6-6)  Loss-Katelin Edwards(10-12)
T-1:49
Full Box Score

Catawba 7, Newberry 2 (Apr 7, 2008 at Newberry, S.C.) (Game 2)
------------------------------------------------------------
Catawba............. 001 005 1 -  7 11  2
Newberry............ 200 000 0 -  2  3  2
------------------------------------------------------------
Win-Meghan Cobb (13-12)  Loss-Katelin Edwards(10-13)
T-2:03  A-72
Full Box Score