NEWBERRY - The Newberry Wolves softball team took a pair of wins to close the 2016 Newberry Classic, defeating Pfeiffer 7-4 before earning a tight 3-2 win over Claflin.

With the wins, Newberry moves to 4-0 for the first time since 2009. That Newberry team started the season with 14 straight wins.

Senior all-conference utility player Maude McCourry drove in four runs at the plate and earned a win and a save in the circle.

GAME ONE: Newberry 7, Pfeiffer 4

• The Wolves scored five runs in the first inning to get ahead early and hold on for a win.
• Mallory Gerndt hit a two-run homer in the first inning rally.
• Freshman Natalie Willis went 3-for-4 with an RBI and a run scored, while McCourry went 2-for-4 with two RBIs.
• McCourry earned the win in the circle, going 6.0 innings and allowing only one unearned run on two hits with five strikeouts and a walk.
• Devon Morrison earned her second save in as many games by closing out the game with the final out.

The Wolves rushed out to a 5-0 lead with a two-out rally in the first. Willis singled and came home when Gerndt blasted her first homer of the season down the left field line. A pair of Falcon errors led to three more Newberry runs on a two-run McCourry double and a Sam Robillard RBI single.

Newberry pushed the lead to 6-0 in the third inning with a two-out RBI double by Willis. Christina Linton pushed across the final Newberry run with a bases loaded, two-out infield single in the fourth.

Pfeiffer scored all of their runs in the final two innings, but got overly aggressive in their seventh inning comeback attempt as the final out of the game was thrown out at home plate.

GAME TWO: Newberry 3, Claflin 2

• McCourry drove in two runs on a second inning single and picked up the save with a scoreless seventh inning.
• No Newberry player had multiple hits in the game and none had an extra base hit.
• Linton's fifth inning sacrifice fly was the game-winning RBI.
• Morrison picked up the win with 4.2 innings of scoreless relief, allowing two hits and two walks while striking out four.

Claflin opened the scoring when defending national stolen base champion Chelsea Hall walked, stole second and third, then came home on a sacrifice fly. The Lady Panthers pushed their lead to 2-0 on a Shaquailla German RBI single in the second.

Newberry responded in the bottom of the second inning after Gerndt singled and Allison Van Atta walked. After a sacrifice bunt, McCourry dropped a single into left field to bring home a pair of runs and tie the game.

Nicolette Myers led off the fifth with a single and pinch hitter Jeri Loffler reached on an error. After a wild pitch, Linton lifted a ball to center deep enough to plate Myers and give the Wolves the 3-2 lead.

Claflin battled in the final two innings, but the tying run was stranded in scoring position in both innings.

UP NEXT

The Wolves host the Emmanuel College Lions (1-1) for a doubleheader, with the first game starting at 1 p.m. Tuesday.