NEWBERRY, S.C. - The Newberry College softball team split another South Atlantic Conference doubleheader on Saturday afternoon after beating Carson-Newman in the opener but falling to the Eagles in the second game. Newberry silenced the Eagles in a 1-0 victory in the opener but couldn't achieve the same result in the second game en route to a 7-1 loss.

With the split, Newberry went to 26-10 (6-6 SAC) while Carson-Newman moved to 30-7 (8-4 SAC). A second Newberry win in game two would have drawn the teams even in the SAC standings. Newberry is now tied for third place in the conference.

Amanda Huckestein (Port Charlotte, Fla.) started and became the pitcher of record in both games. She went the distance in the first game and earned the win after holding the Eagles scoreless in seven innings pitched. Newberry became the first team to keep Carson-Newman off the scoreboard this season. Huckestein surrendered just six hits and struck out 11. She started the second game as well but surrendered four runs in two innings in a losing effort. Huckestein is now 16-6 on the year.

Felicia Taylor (Venice, Fla.) managed the lone run in the first game with a solo homer to put Newberry up 1-0, a score that would ultimately become the final.

One run wasn't enough for Newberry in the second game, however, as the Eagles rallied to score in the first, second, third and seventh innings to beat Newberry, 7-1.

Game One: Newberry 1, Carson-Newman 0 -
Box ScoreNewberry received stellar pitching and defense in the opening game in order to pull a victory out of the pitching dual. Carson-Newman created opportunities to score but the scarlet and gray denied them at every pass. The Eagles stranded 11 base runners in the game.

The Eagles threatened in the top of the third inning with a leadoff double from Whitney Kee (Knoxville, Tenn.). The Eagles followed the double with a single and a walk to load the bases with just one out. Huckestein dealt a strikeout for the second out and a diving play by second baseman Jessica Reid (Walhalla, S.C.) bailed Newberry out of the jam.

Carson-Newman loaded the bases with just one out again in the fourth inning but Huckestein forced an infield fly and a strikeout to prevent any damage.

The scarlet and gray finally broke the scoreless tie in the bottom of the fourth when Taylor sent the second pitch of the inning well over the fence in right-centerfield.

Huckestein held the Eagles to just two hits in the last three innings in order to solidify the win.

Game Two - Newberry 1, Carson-Newman 7 - Box Score
Newberry fell in the second game as Carson-Newman starting pitcher Mary Shealy (Ringgold, Ga.) pitched a gem and the Eagles' bats came to life. Shealy went the distance and held Newberry to five hits while striking out seven.

Carson-Newman struck in the top of the first inning after Jessie Howard (Knoxville, Tenn.) singled to lead off the inning, stole second and scored from there off of Sara Little's (Rossville, Ga.) RBI single. The Eagles extended the lead to 4-0 with a three-run second inning accentuated by a two-run double by Bri Shoemake (Ooltewah, Tenn.).

The Eagles tacked on two more runs before Newberry found a way to chip into the lead. Stephanie Blazer (Greenville, S.C.) opened the bottom of the third inning with a leadoff single back up the middle. Whitney Wiles (Iva, S.C.) added another single and Aissa Gatewood (North Charleston, S.C.) moved the runners to second and third with a perfectly placed sacrifice bunt. Blazer scored on a wild pitch to make the score 6-1.

Shealy added an additional insurance for the Eagles run via a solo home run in the top of the seventh.

Newberry goes on the road next week with a SAC doubleheader at Wingate on Wednesday, April 14. The games will have heavy conference implications as the two teams are currently tied for third place in the standings. The first pitch of the twinbill is scheduled for 2 p.m.