NEWBERRY - An exciting South Atlantic Conference softball doubleheader at the Smith Road Complex ended in a split Saturday, as the Newberry Wolves shutout Tusculum's Pioneers 5-0 in the opener before dropping a 5-4 decision in 10 innings in the nightcap.

Newberry is now 26-18 overall and 7-11 in SAC action with four games remaining in the regular season. The Wolves host Coker at 2 p.m. Tuesday before closing the regular season at Lincoln Memorial next weekend.

The Wolves celebrated the careers of Sam Robillard, Hannah Blakley, Lanier Paul, Maude McCourry and Jeri Loffler between games of the doubleheader. Those seniors would make their impact known throughout the twinbill.

GAME ONE: Newberry 5, Tusculum 0

• McCourry twirled a complete game shutout and drove in a pair of runs to lead the Wolves to victory.
  • McCourry allowed only two base hits and three walks, striking out four and stranding six Pioneers on base, with five of those in scoring position.
  • McCourry was also 1-for-3 in the contest with a two-run single to give Newberry the lead in the fourth inning.
• Loffler was 1-for-2 with a walk and a two-run single in the fifth.
• Hailey Drawe went 2-for-3 with a double and two runs scored.

Newberry defense kept the Pioneers off of the scoreboard despite the guests' scoring opportunities. Tusculum stranded runners in scoring position in the second, third and fourth innings.

Drawe led off the bottom of the fourth with a single followed by a Loffler walk. That duo came home on McCourry's two-run single to give the Wolves the lead.

A two-out rally in the fifth extended the lead on Loffler's two-run single, and the fifth run came on an unearned run in the sixth.

McCourry had retired seven straight batters heading to the final inning before a walk and a hit batsman put runners on base. McCourry struck out a batter and induced a game-ending double play to hand Newberry the victory in the opener.

GAME TWO: Tusculum 5, Newberry 4 (10 innings)

Stellar defensive plays kept the Wolves' hopes alive after falling behind in the sixth inning, but the scarlet and gray were unable to pull out the win.

• Nicolette Myers was the only Newberry player with multiple hits, going 2-for-2.
• Devon Morrison was the tough-luck loser in the circle for Newberry, going the distance, allowing only two earned runs in 10 innings, striking out 10 and allowing seven hits and two walks.
• Christina Linton, Mallory Gerndt and Robillard all drove in runs.

Tusculum scored its first run of the day on an RBI groundout in the top of the first, but Newberry came back and took the lead on consecutive RBI singles with one out in the second by Robillard and Linton.

Newberry stranded runners on base throughout the game, unable to put those chances away and extend the lead. The scarlet and gray left the bases loaded in the first, fourth and fifth innings.

Tusculum took the lead after a pair of untimely errors with two out in the fifth allowed two runs to score, making it a 3-2 game.

A single and a walk with one out in the bottom of the seventh put the winning run on base and Gerndt drove a pinch hit double to right-center. The first runner scored but the winning run was thrown out at the plate and Gerndt was stranded at third.

In the eighth, a hard hit Tusculum liner was snagged high above her head by second baseman Natalie Willis, who alertly whipped the ball to second for a double play. The Pioneers rattled off three straight hits to score a run, but would leave the bases loaded. Willis started the bottom of the frame on second, and her alert baserunning tied the game. Willis held at second on a groundout to the left side before taking off for third, when her speed forced an errant throw from the first baseman, allowing her to tie the game and force the game to the ninth inning.

With two out in the top of the ninth and runners on first and third, a long fly ball was snagged on the run by Robillard to keep the Pioneers off of the scoreboard, but Newberry was unable to capitalize on a passed ball and left the winning run stranded at third.

Tusculum scored on a sacrifice fly in the top of the 10th on a diving catch in the right-center gap by Morgan Sweeney. Newberry had runners on the corners with two out in the bottom of the frame and Robillard smashed a line drive to deep center that was on track to go out for a homer, but was caught just before it cleared the fence by the Tusculum centerfielder.