HICKORY, N.C. - The Newberry College softball team split a South Atlantic Conference doubleheader with the No. 11 team in the country, the Lenoir-Rhyne Bears. Newberry handed the Bears their first SAC loss of the season in the opener with a 3-2 victory but fell in a 1-0 pitchers' dual in the second game.

Newberry now stands at 25-9 (5-5 SAC) while No. 11 Lenoir-Rhyne moves to 38-6 (11-1 SAC).

Amanda Huckestein (Port Charlotte, Fla.) earned the win in the opener for Newberry after dealing seven innings in which she struck out 13 and held the Bears to four hits. Newberry took the lead in the third inning but the Bears retaliated in the fourth to tie the game at 1-1. The scarlet and gray posted two more in the fifth and survived a Lenoir-Rhyne rally in the sixth to win, 3-2.

Huckestein started the second game as well and once again held the Bears to four hits in a complete-game effort. Unfortunately for Newberry, however, one of the Bears' hits was a fifth-inning solo home run that went for the game's only run as Newberry fell, 1-0.

Game One: Newberry 3, Lenoir-Rhyne 2 -
Box ScoreBoth offenses were relatively silent until Newberry rallied in the top of the third inning after Angela Cataldo (Sumter, S.C.) drew a leadoff walk. Katie Bormann (Irmo, S.C.) entered the game to pinch run and advanced to second base on a Chelsea Chipoletti (Brooksville, Fla.) sacrifice bunt. Jessica Reid (Walhalla, S.C.) delivered a two-out RBI single to center field to score Bormann and put Newberry up, 1-0.

The Bears responded in the bottom of the fourth inning after a leadoff double off the bat of Kat Rivers (Royston, Ga.) started the inning. Ashley Duckworth (Conover, N.C.) scored the run with an RBI single two batters later.

Once Newberry got out of the inning, the scarlet and gray immediately reclaimed the lead in the top of the fifth inning. Much like she did in the third inning, Cataldo started the rally with a walk and Chipoletti reached on a throwing error to put runners on first and second. Aissa Gatewood (North Charleston, S.C.) came through with her second extra-base hit of the game, an RBI double to right center which scored Cataldo and put runners on second and third. After a walk loaded the bases, Huckestein was hit by a pitch to put Newberry up, 3-1.

The Bears threatened to tie the game yet again with runners on second and third with one out in the bottom of the sixth inning. A sacrifice fly scored one run but Gatewood minimized the damage by alertly throwing the trail runner out at third base for the inning-ending double play.

Huckestein quieted the Bears in the seventh to solidify the win and improve her record to 15-4 on the year.

Game Two: Newberry 0, Lenoir-Rhyne 1 - Box Score
Both pitchers dominated in the second game and kept the opposing offenses at bay. Newberry put runners on the corners in the first inning but couldn't get the run across the plate. Lenoir-Rhyne produced opportunities as well in the third inning but Newberry's defense weathered the attack. The Bears attempted to score from second base on an infield single but Jessica Reid threw the runner out at the plate to keep the game scoreless. The Bears loaded the bases after the play but a Huckestein strike out bailed Newberry out of the jam.

The Bears finally broke the scoreless tie in the bottom of the fifth when Sarah Atkins (Newport News, Va.) homered to left center with one out in the inning.

The lone run would prove to be enough to earn the Bears the victory as Newberry was retired in order in the sixth and seventh innings.

Despite pitching a great game, Huckestein was tagged with the loss and fell to 15-5.

Newberry returns home on Saturday, April 10, for another pivotal SAC doubleheader with second-place Carson-Newman. Newberry could pull even with the Eagles with a pair of wins. The first pitch is scheduled for 2 p.m.