NEWBERRY, S.C. - The Newberry College softball team blasted its way to a sweep of North Greenville University in the 2009 home opener, taking the first game by an 8-1 count and earning a 9-0 victory in five innings in the second game.

Newberry continues the hottest opening streak in school history as the scarlet and gray move to 8-0 this season, while the Crusaders fall to 0-6 overall.

Game One: Newberry 8, North Greenville 1
North Greenville took a 1-0 lead in the top of the first inning, but Newberry starting pitcher Kristen Hicks (Bamberg, S.C.) moved to 4-0 on the season by striking out nine Crusaders en route to the complete game victory.

After four first inning walks pushed the first Crusader run across, the scarlet and gray tied the game in the bottom of the inning on an RBI triple to right field from Kat Hammond (Irmo, S.C.). Whitney Wiles (Iva, S.C.) drew a bases loaded walk in the second inning and Hammond drove two runners home on a single immediately afterwards to give Newberry a 4-1 lead after two.

Sara Powell (Ocean View, Del.) drove two runs home in the fifth inning on a single through the right side, and the scoring was capped in the bottom of the sixth on runs from Amy Jarrell (Dover, Del.) and Aissa Gatewood (North Charleston, S.C.). Kristyn Smith was tagged with the loss for NGU, as Newberry pounded out eight hits in the game.

Newberry 8, North Greenville 1
(Feb 19, 2009 at Newberry, S.C.) (Game 1)
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North Greenville.... 100 000 0 - 1 5 3 (0-5)
Newberry............ 130 022 X - 8 8 1 (7-0)
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Pitchers: North Greenville - K. Smith. Newberry - Kristen Hicks.
Win-Kristen Hicks(4-0) Loss-K. Smith(0-3) T-1:57
FULL BOX SCORE

Game Two: Newberry 9, North Greenville 0 (5 inn.)
A two-run homer from Kat Hammond and a grand slam from Chelsie Hilbourn (Loris, S.C.) propelled Newberry to the run-rule victory in game two. After leaving the bases loaded in the second, Newberry responded with explosive output in the third and fourth frames. Hammond blasted her third homerun of the season to centerfield with one out, and Powell followed that up with a double. Errors allowed Powell and Hilbourn to score and make it a 4-0 game after three innings.

That would be all the run support starting pitcher Amanda Huckstein (Port Charlotte, Fla.) would need as she retired the first nine batters in order en route to a complete game two-hitter with two strikeouts and no walks. Huckestein also moves to 4-0 with the win.

The scarlet and gray provided more offense in the fourth to seal the game. Hammond earned her sixth RBI of the day with a run-scoring single up the middle. Powell's walk loaded the bases and Hilbourn drove her 3-0 pitch over the fence in left-centerfield to wrap up the scoring and give Newberry its first run-rule victory of the year. The grand slam was Hilbourn's first collegiate homerun.

Newberry 9, North Greenville 0
(Feb 19, 2009 at Newberry, S.C.) (Game 2)
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North Greenville.... 000 00 - 0 2 3 (0-6)
Newberry............ 004 5X - 9 6 1 (8-0)
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Pitchers: North Greenville - Taylor Roof. Newberry - Amanda Huckestein.
Win-Amanda Huckestein(4-0) Loss-Taylor Roof(0-3) T-1:15 A-115
HR NEW - Kat Hammond; Chelsie Hilbourn.
FULL BOX SCORE

Newberry hits the road once again this weekend in attempt to continue its historical season-opening winning streak. The scarlet and gray will go to Laurinburg, N.C., to take on the Knights of Saint Andrews Presbyterian College on Sunday. First pitch of the doubleheader is set for 1 p.m.