NEWBERRY, S.C. - The Newberry College softball team took both installments of its final regular-season South Atlantic Conference doubleheader against Tusculum. Newberry outlasted the Pioneers in a 1-0 victory in a defensive opener and rallied from behind to win, 6-5, in the second.

With the sweep, Newberry improved to 29-11 (9-7 SAC) while Tusculum fell to 14-24 (5-11 SAC).

Amanda Huckestein (Port Charlotte, Fla.) was brilliant in the circle for the length of the opener, allowing just three batters to reach base in the game. Huckestein struck out 14 hitters and didn't surrender a single walk.

She needed just three strikeouts to break the Newberry College single-season strikeout record and did so by striking out the side in the top of the first inning. Huckestein now has 192 strikeouts on the season which surpasses the 179 mark set by Ashley Rhoad in 2002.

The second game was much more offensively oriented with the teams combining for 11 runs, 13 hits and five errors. Newberry jumped out to a 3-0 lead in the bottom of the third but watched the Pioneers tack on two runs in both the fifth and sixth innings to take the lead. Newberry responded immediately with a three-run surge in the bottom of the sixth and held off Tusculum's late charge to seal the sweep.

Game One: Newberry 1, Tusculum 0 -
Box ScoreNewberry's defense led by Huckestein's pitching performance silenced the Pioneers in the opener. The scarlet and gray managed just one run on two hits but kept Tusculum off the board to escape with a win.

Newberry got on the scoreboard in the top of the first inning with a pair of hits to take the lead. Aissa Gatewood (North Charleston, S.C.) bunted for a single and advanced to second on Jessica Reid's (Walhalla, S.C.) sacrifice bunt. Huckestein then blasted a groundball past the Pioneers' shortstop and all the way to the left field fence to score Gatewood for the game's only run.

The lone run was the only thing Huckestein needed to get away with the complete-game victory. Barring a hit batter in the second, Huckestein retired every hitter she faced through five innings. The Pioneers threatened in the sixth inning with a pair of singles to put runners on first and second with one out. Brittany Hunley (Knoxville, Tenn.) sent a pitch to deep center field but Gatewood tracked it down and threw behind the advancing runner to second to complete the double play and end the inning.

Huckestein added three more strikeouts in the seventh to solidify the effort.

Game Two: Newberry 6, Tusculum 5 -
Box ScoreBoth teams' bats came to life in the second game in which Newberry had to come from behind to win, 6-5.

The game appeared to be another defensive struggle from the onset with neither team registering a hit through 2.5 innings. Huckestein finally did so in the bottom of the third with a double to right center which scored Gatewood and Reid who had both previously walked. Felicia Taylor (Venice, Fla.) scored later in the inning on a Tusculum throwing error to put Newberry up, 3-0.

That score held until the top of the fifth inning when Savannah Ewing (Rogersville, Tenn.) homered to left field with two outs and a runner aboard. Tusculum added two more runs - once again with two outs - to take the lead in the sixth.

Newberry, now trailing 4-3, responded immediately in the bottom half of the inning by working counts and capitalizing on a couple Tusculum miscues. Sara Powell (Ocean View, Del.) drew a leadoff walk and scored when a throw from third base strayed into the first-base dugout. Huckestein became the hero once again when her long fly ball to left field landed just inside the foul line to score two runs and put Newberry back on top, 6-4.

Tusculum scored once more in the seventh but Newberry weathered the attack to prevent any further damage. Kristen Hicks (Bamberg, S.C.) got the start and earned the win for Newberry with a six-inning, five-hit performance.

Newberry will now prepare for the Food Lion SAC Tournament next weekend hosted by Wingate. Visit the official athletics website of Newbery College for the latest information regarding pairings and schedules.