NEWBERRY – For the 16th time in as many tries, 22nd-ranked Newberry came away victorious at the Smith Road Complex after downing Erskine 10-5 in a nonconference tilt.
 
In the process, Newberry (23-7) head coach Russell Triplett earned his 250th career victory. The ninth-year head coach now boasts a career winning percentage of .565 with a record of 250-192-1, placing him ninth in South Atlantic Conference history in overall wins.
 
Of the 973 baseball-playing institutions across all three NCAA classifications, only Division I Arizona State boasts a better home record than the Wolves' 16-0 mark. The Sun Devils are currently 18-0 in their home ballpark and have played just one game on the road this season.
 
In another impressive statistical feat, Quinton Driggers earned the win with four innings of scoreless relief for Newberry to run his record to 7-0 on the year and tie Catawba's Bryan Ketchie for the lead in all three NCAA divisions.
 
The Wolves extended their national lead in triples with two more, bringing their season total to 18, and scored 10 or more runs for the 12th time this season. Newberry entered the day third in Division II in runs scored and fifth in hits, adding 10 to each of those totals in the doubling up of the Flying Fleet (13-13).
 
Erskine scored a pair of unearned runs on Newberry starter Tyler Fuhr in the first inning, but the Wolves roared back with seven runs in the second and third innings to take control.
 
Newberry got four runs on four hits in the second inning, loading the bases on two infield singles and a walk before a 6-4-3 double play brought home the first two runs of the inning. A costly throwing error on a double steal attempt brought two runs in, with Tyler White's RBI single rounding out the scoring in the frame.
 
After Erskine pulled to within one with another unearned run in the top of the third, Ian Clements began a two-out rally with a single through the left side. Peyton Spangler walked before Dalton Lansdowne's fly ball skipped over the Fleet's diving left fielder as he tried to make a heroic catch and rolled to the wall. He was credited with a two-run triple and came home on a balk to make the advantage 7-3.
 
The Fleet scored twice in the fourth before Fuhr yielded to Driggers to begin the fifth. He allowed three hits in four innings, striking out five with a single walk. Charlie Fessler worked a scoreless ninth with two strikeouts to close out the win.
 
The Newberry pitching staff combined for 12 strikeouts and just one walk on the day. Of the five Erskine runs scored, all of which were charged to Fuhr, only one was earned. He lowered his ERA to 1.93; Driggers took over the team lead by shrinking his to 1.77.
 
Zane Tarrance, Aidan Baur, Clements, and Lansdowne each finished with two hits apiece. Danton Hyman went 0-for-4 to end a 16-game hitting streak but extended his reached-base streak to 37 games with a second-inning walk.
 
Newberry travels to Due West to face the same Erskine team Wednesday afternoon. First pitch is set for 3:00 p.m.