GAFFNEY, S.C. - The Newberry College softball team dominated in the opening day of the Tusculum College Pioneer Classic Saturday afternoon. Newberry (4-2) was impressive in a 9-0 win over Tiffin and 9-2 victory over the University of Charleston (W. Va.).

Newberry exploded for eight runs in the first two innings of the first game against Tiffin. The scarlet and gray added another run in the fourth and kept the Dragons off the board to solidify the 9-0 five-inning mercy-rule induced victory.

Amanda Huckestein (Port Charlotte, Fla.) earned the win in the opening game and improved her record to 3-0 on the season. Huckestein went the full five innings and surrendered just four hits and one walk. Huckestein had nine strikeouts and the Dragons produced just six baserunners in the game.

Sara Powell (Ocean View, Del.) went two-for-three in the game with three RBIs and scored twice. Powell hit a two-run home run in the first and Huckestein hit a solo shot in the fourth.

Kristen Hicks (Bamberg, S.C.) earned her first victory of the season with a seven-inning, seven-hit outing against Charleston in the second game. Hicks struck out six in the game as Newberry won 9-2.

Jessica Reid (Walhalla, S.C.) and Felicia Taylor (Venice, Fla.) each homered for the scarlet and gray en route to the victory.

Game One: Newberry 9, Tiffin 0 (Five Innings) - Box Score
Newberry opened the first game of the day in stellar fashion with eight runs in the first two innings. Aissa Gatewood (North Charleston, S.C.) got Newberry started in the first with a leadoff double. Powell then delivered a two-run home run to put Newberry up 2-0. Huckestein then stepped up and drew a walk to keep the inning going. Huckestein moved up to second on a Taylor sacrifice and later scored off a two-out single from Chelsie Hillbourn (Loris, S.C.).

Huckestein hit the first batter she faced in the game but then struck out the side to prevent any further damage.

The Dragons put runners on second and third in the second inning with one out but two more Huckestein strikeouts got Newberry out of the jam.

Newberry sent every player in the lineup to the plate in the second inning after registering six straight singles. Courtney Flach (Tampa, Fla.) started the rally with a one-out single to right field. Gatewood then singled as well followed by a Reid single that moved Gatewood up to second. Powell and Huckestein then delivered back-to-back RBI singles for the scarlet and gray. Taylor then singled to right field and scored when Hillbourn reached on an error. Stephanie Blazer (Greenville, S.C.) singled to score Huckestein and cap off Newberry's five-run inning.

Newberry added another run in the fourth inning by way of Huckestein's leadoff home run to center field.

Huckestein retired six of the last eight batters she faced as five innings was enough to solidify the win.

Game Two: Newberry 9, Charleston 2 - Box Score
Gatewood got Newberry started in the second game as well after reaching on an error charged to Charleston's third baseman. Reid moved Gatewood up with a sacrifice bunt before Gatewood stole third and scored on a wild pitch.

Jessica Teague (Charlotte, N.C.) added a run in the second after singling to center field and coming around to score off of Whitney Wiles' (Iva, S.C.) RBI single.

The Eagles put two runners on in the second inning but Newberry catcher Tiffany Pigage (Lexington, S.C.) picked both of them off.

Charleston got on the board in the third inning after an infield single from Janine Vazquez (Cincinnati, Ohio) and RBI double out of Ashlea Wallace (Winfield, W.Va.).

Gatewood started the fifth inning off with an infield single and a stolen base. Powell hustled to beat out a potential double-play ball to put runners on the corners with one out. Newberry then executed a perfect double steal to move Powell to second and score Gatewood. Taylor then homered to center field to score Powell and put Newberry up 5-1.

Newberry added three more in sixth inning off one swing of the bat from Reid. Reid drove a home run deep to left with Gatewood and Whiles on base to stretch the lead to 8-1.

Logan Tretick (Round Hill, Va.) doubled in the sixth for Charleston and scored off an RBI single from Micki Murzynski (Erie, Pa.)

The run cut Newberry's lead to 8-2, but the Eagles would get no closer as Newberry added a run in the seventh and retired the side in order to win 9-2.

Newberry continues play in the Tusculum College Pioneer Classic on Sunday with Tiffin again at 1:30 p.m. and Limestone at 3:30 p.m.