NEWBERRY, S.C. - The Newberry College softball team split a South Atlantic Conference opening doubleheader with Mars Hill Saturday afternoon, losing game one 9-5 but battling back to win the second, 8-3.

Game Two: Newberry 8, Mars Hill 3

The Wolves had six different players reach base safely and scored in all but one inning as they handed the Lions their second conference loss of the season, 8-3.

Newberry (12-13, 1-1 SAC) picked up a solid defensive performance while keeping Mars Hill (20-8, 2-2 SAC) scoreless until late in the game as the Wolves picked up their first conference win.

The Wolves started things off by putting freshman Codi Kelly (New River, Ariz.) and Chelsie Hilbourn (Loris, S.C.) in scoring position in the bottom of the first inning with Jeniffer Yancey (Dunwoody, Ga.) collecting the RBI after singling in Kelly with a base hit to right field for a 1-0 Newberry lead.

With two outs in the bottom of the second, the Wolves started a four run rally that was kicked off by a Jessie Teague (Charlotte, N.C.) infield single and kept alive by four Lion errors. Aissa Gatewood (N. Charleston, S.C.) then advanced Teague with a bunt that was bobbled by Mars Hill third baseman Natalie Haithcox (Asheboro, N.C.), scoring Teague and moving Gatewood to third. Kelly then singled and made her way to second on yet another error by Mars Hill, scoring Gatewood. Felicia Taylor (Venice, Fla.) then sent a shot past the first baseman that scored two to end the inning.

Senior Richelle Miribal (Tampa, Fla.) scored the lone Wolves run in the third after she singled to right field and scored on a heads up play after a Paige Brugh (Indian Land, S.C.) sacrifice bunt that was fumbled by Mars Hill first baseman Ashley Seawell (Asheboro, N.C.).

In the fourth it was a Gatewood triple down the right field line that kept the Wolves offensive assault alive. Kelly then picked up her second RBI of the game as she hit a sacrifice fly that scored Gatewood and gave Newberry a 7-0 lead.

Down to their last strike on two occasions in the top of the fifth inning, Mars Hill picked up three runs with two outs already recorded. Back-to-back singles by the Lions followed by a walk led to a bases loaded Jade Billings (Danbury, N.C.) double that cleared the bases.

The Wolves tacked on two more runs to their already hefty lead as Hilbourn sent a double into right center field that scored Kelly to make it 8-3 in the bottom half of the fifth for the 8-3 Newberry win.

Gatewood and Hilbourn each finished the contest with a pair of hits and an RBI with Gatewood scoring two runs. Kelly finished the game with one hit, three runs scored, two RBIs, and a stolen bases.

Pitcher Shelley Jeffcoat (Lexington, S.C.) picked up her second win of the season as she threw 5.2 innings while giving up three runs. Taylor replaced Shelley, hurling the final 1.1 innings while allowing one hit and striking out one.

Game One: Mars Hill 9, Newberry 5

The Wolves kept pace with the Lions in game number one but couldn't overcome a six run inning by Mars Hill as they handed Newberry its first conference loss, 9-5.

After going scoreless in the first two innings, Mars Hill picked up a pair in the top of the third inning after a two run homer by Seawell over the left field wall. The Wolves answered in the bottom half of the inning, scoring one run after Hilbourn singled in Kelly to cut the Lion lead to one.

Newberry then gave up six to the Lions in the fourth with the Lions capitalizing on six hits and two Wolves' errors to make it 8-1 Mars Hill.

In the bottom of the fourth it was Taylor who led off the inning with her sixth home run of the season over the right center field wall to cut the deficit to just six. Later in the inning, catcher Monica Buccellato (Martinez, Calif.) sent a base hit to left field and scored teammate Chelsea Chipoletti (Brooksville, Fla.) to make it 8-3.

Newberry scored two more in the fifth with Hilbourn hitting her team leading seventh home run of the season, this one a two run shot to left field that scored Kelly and made it a three run ball game.

Mars Hill scored once more in top of the sixth on a Taylor Morris (Weddington, N.C.) double to make it 9-5. The Wolves then failed to score in their final two at bats and fell to the Lions by a four run margin.

Kelly led the Wolves offensively with her three hits, one stolen bases and two runs scored. Hilbourn was 2-for-3 from the plate with a run scored and three RBIs. As a team, the Wolves had 11 hits, three of which were for extra bases.

Taylor pitched the first 3.1 innings giving up two earned runs on eight hits while striking out two. Jeffcoat replaced Taylor and went the last 3.2 innings allowing just five hits and one run.

Newberry will look to stay in the upper half of the conference standings as they head to Brevard to take on the Tornados this Tuesday, March 22. Game one of the doubleheader is set for 2 p.m.