NEWBERRY – A dominant victory and a walk-off nailbiter gave Newberry a doubleheader sweep over Lenoir-Rhyne.
 
Not to mention an eight-game winning streak. And a 10-0 mark at the friendly confines of the Smith Road Complex for its first 10-game home winning streak in six years. And sole possession of first place in the South Atlantic Conference.
 
A successful weekend was capped by Zane Tarrance's walk-off double, giving Newberry (11-4, 3-0 SAC) a 7-6 extra-innings victory over Lenoir-Rhyne (5-9, 0-3 SAC) after a 14-2 drubbing earlier in the day.
 
Tarrance's hit gave Newberry redemption one inning after ending the eighth with the bases loaded. The Wolves had put three on with nobody out before a strikeout gave some momentum back to Lenoir-Rhyne. Trailing 5-4, Danton Hyman chopped a grounder through the left side to score a run, but a baserunning blunder led to a rundown between third and the plate. A fielder's choice ended the inning.
 
But Aaron Copeland worked a perfect ninth on just 10 pitches before the Wolves rallied again. Nick Butler lifted a fly ball deep into the right field corner for a one-out double, then came around to score three pitches later on Tarrance's game-winner.
 
The Wolves plated four runs on five hits in the third inning to take a seemingly commanding lead, but the Bears chipped away with single runs in each of the next four frames. Designated hitter Matthew Freeman hit an opposite-field solo shot off the scoreboard in the fifth inning, then homered to left field in his next at-bat. He went on to finish the contest 4-for-4 with three runs scored.
 
Josh Bookbinder was solid in his starting role, allowing a pair of runs on six hits through five innings. Tyler Fuhr worked the sixth and Jonathan Elicier the seventh and eighth before turning the controls to Copeland.
 
Tarrance finished the contest 3-for-3 with a walk and three RBI, including a two-run single through the right side. Nick Butler also had three hits and an RBI in five official at-bats.
 
The Wolves pounded out 13 hits in the first contest on their way to a convincing win. Tomas Sorcia, Jr. was brilliant in his career-high eight innings of work, allowing just four hits and a walk. He worked five 1-2-3 innings and mowed down each of the last 15 hitters he faced before being lifted for Ryan Harbin to begin the ninth inning.
 
Newberry scored early and often, leading 6-2 after the fourth inning before plating four runs in the fifth and four more in the seventh. Danton Hyman, Tyler Ackard, Braylin Marine, and Dalton Lansdowne each recorded two hits, while Peyton Spangler's bases-clearing double in the fifth made him the team's RBI leader with three.
 
With all four other SAC series postponed by weather until Sunday and Monday, Newberry stands alone atop the table and has the third-best overall record in the league at 11-4.
 
The Wolves return to action Tuesday against Lander at the Smith Road Complex, then host Southern Wesleyan on Wednesday. Both games are set to begin at 6:00 p.m.