GREENEVILLE, Tenn. - The Newberry College softball team split their South Atlantic Conference doubleheader against Tusculum College. The Pioneers came away with the victory in game one, 1-2, but Newberry rallied to win game two, 7-0.

Picking up the victory for Newberry in game two was Amanda Huckestein (Port Charlotte, Fla.), who pitched seven scoreless innings including a no-hitter through four innings.

Leading the scarlet and gray in hits on the day was Kat Hammond (Irmo, S.C.) with her 4-for-7 day at the plate, which included three RBIs and three doubles.

Game One: Tusculum 2, Newberry 1 - Box Score
The opening game wasn't decided until the final inning as TC scored one run in the bottom of the seventh to break the tie and take the victory. The Pioneers loaded the bases in the seventh and were able to cross the plate from a fielding error.

Newberry struck first with a run in the first inning as Aissa Gatewood (N. Charleston, S.C.) led of the inning by reaching base on a throwing error by TC's third baseman Ashley Burke and then advanced to second on the error.

With one out, Hammond drove in Gatewood with a single up the middle to give NC the 1-0 lead and Hammond her 43rd RBI of the season.

However, the Pioneers tied up the game in the second inning off a Racheal Wilburn single to right field scoring Makenzie Loy on the play.

Neither team was able to score again until the seventh inning as the pitching dominated the middle innings as Newberry's Kristen Hicks (Bamberg, S.C.) allowed only one hit from the third to sixth inning. TC's Holli Cadenhead held Newberry to two hits in the same time frame.

The scarlet and gray had an opportunity to regain the lead in the seventh inning with a runner on third base with one out, but were unable to convert and left the runner stranded.

The Pioneers were able to manage a run in the seventh as they loaded the bases with one out. After a Rachel Hopper fly out to right field, Loy reached base on a fielding error by Courtney Flach (Tampa, Fla.) allowing the runner from third to score and give TC the 2-1 victory.

Hicks was given the loss as she pitched 6.1 impressive innings and only allowed one earned run on three hits as she moved to 10-10 on the year.

Game Two: Newberry 7, Tusculum 0 - Box Score
The scarlet and gray won the nightcap as they marched past the Pioneers with seven runs in the game including six runs in the first two innings. Newberry utilized Hammond's two doubles in the game and Huckestein's homerun to win their eighth conference game of the season.

Newberry started the game by putting up two runs in the first inning to give Huckestein plenty of run support. Whitney Wiles (Iva, S.C.) led off the game with a walk and then stole second base.

After the next two batters were retired, Christine Stokes (Charleston, S.C.) drew the games second walk to put runners on the corners for Huckestein. Huckestein delivered as she singled to right filed scoring Wiles and stokes to give NC a 2-0 lead.

In the following inning, Newberry continued to pile on runs and add to their lead. Amanda Schumacher (Greenville, S.C.) led off the inning with a single up the middle and advanced to third on a Tiffany Pigage (Lexington, S.C.) single.

The next batter, Amy Jarrell (Dover, Del.) reached on a throwing error by TC's shortstop, Ashley Basilicato, allowing Schumacher to score and advancing Pigage to third. Another error by Tusculum, allowed Wiles to reach base and score Newberry's fourth run of the game.

With a 4-0 lead, Hammond doubled to left field scoring Jarrell and Wiles, which gave NC the 6-0 lead.

Huckestein had all the runs she would need as pitcher shut down Tusculum's batters by not allowing a hit until the beginning of the fifth inning. She also struck out four batters in the game and only allowed five hits to improve to 17-4 on the year.

Huckestein also added a homerun in the seventh inning, which was her fifth of the season.

Newberry moved to 27-14 on the year with doubleheader split and 8-6 in the SAC as Tusculum is now 13-29 and 4-12 in conference play.

Newberry wraps up their season tomorrow as they return home to face Lincoln Memorial at 1 p.m. With an 8-6 conference record, Newberry will be looking to garner their highest possible seed in the South Atlantic Conference Tournament, which starts on Thursday, April 23.