NEWBERRY, S.C. - The Newberry College softball team split a doubleheader with Catawba when it returned to South Atlantic Conference action on Friday afternoon. Newberry benefited from timely hitting in the opener to come away with the victory, 6-3, but fell victim to a 4-3 loss in the second.

The teams entered the games tied for third place in the SAC standings. Newberry is now 24-8 (4-4 SAC) while Catawba is 27-14 (4-4 SAC).

Amanda Huckestein (Port Charlotte, Fla.) was the pitcher of record in both games and moved her record to 14-4 on the season after earning a win and a loss. On the day, Huckestein pitched 14 innings and held the Catawba Indians to just six hits while striking out 13. Huckestein one-hit the Indians in the first game for her second on the year.

Catawba jumped on Newberry early in the opener and went up 3-0 in the third at bat of the game. Newberry responded offensively, however, and chipped into the lead until capturing it for good. Newberry put up two runs in the first and second innings and one in the third and fifth innings and kept Catawba at bay for the rest of the game to come away with the 6-3 victory.

Catawba scored early in the second game as well by putting up four runs in the first two innings. Newberry sparked a comeback rally in the third inning that would ultimately fall just short. Newberry plated three runs in the third but still fell, 4-3.

Game One: Newberry 6, Catawba 3 -
Box ScoreCatawba jumped on Newberry early in the first game but watched Newberry come from behind to take the victory. In the top of the first, Catawba's first two batters walked before Allie Marshall (Pleasant Garden, N.C.) drove a home run deep to left field to put Catawba up 3-0.

Newberry responded immediately with a two-out rally in the bottom of the first. Felicia Taylor (Venice, Fla.) sparked the rally with a single to center field. Huckestein followed suit by driving a hard single through the left side to put runners on first and second. Sara Powell (Ocean View, Del.) rose to the occasion with a two-RBI double to right-center field which was just out of the grasp of Catawba's diving center fielder.

Newberry rallied again in the second inning by loading the bases via a walk and two infield singles. Jessica Reid (Walhalla, S.C.) drew an RBI walk to tie the game and Taylor's sacrifice fly to deep right field plated Chelsea Chipoletti (Brooksville, Fla.) as the go ahead run.

Newberry added an insurance run in the fourth inning with the help of Sara Powell's second double of the game. Powell led off the inning with the double and advanced to third on a sacrifice bunt before Courtney Flach (Tampa, Fla.) singled to centerfield to score the run.

The scarlet and gray struck once more in the fifth inning after Tiffany Pigage (Lexington, S.C.) doubled to score the pinch-running Jessie Teague (Charlotte, N.C.).

Game Two: Newberry 3, Catawba 4 -
Box ScoreCatawba scored in the first inning of the second game as well. Allie Marshall walked and advanced to third on a Newberry throwing error in the next at bat. Brittney Thornburg (Kings Mountain, N.C.) singled back up the middle to score Marshall and put Catawba up, 1-0.

The Catawba Indians padded their lead in the second inning after a walk and a pair of singles loaded the bases. Catawba then produced back-to-back singles which plated three runs.

Newberry responded in the bottom of the third inning with three runs off of five hits. Jessie Teague started the action with a leadoff single followed by three singles from Chipoletti, Reid and Taylor. With Reid on third base, Huckestein surprised the defense with a perfectly placed bunt single to score the run, making the score 4-3.

Unfortunately for the scarlet and gray that would be as close as they would get. Newberry produced just two more hits in the game.

Newberry goes on the road next week for a pivotal SAC doubleheader at second-place Lenoir Rhyne. Newberry will be hoping to hand the Bears their first SAC loss of the 2010 season. The first pitch is scheduled for 2 p.m.