DUE WEST – No. 22 Newberry jumped out to an early lead, took control in the middle innings, and kept its proverbial foot on the gas throughout a 14-2 win over Erskine in Due West Wednesday afternoon.
The Flying Fleet (13-14) are the eighth team Newberry (24-7) has swept during the 2019 campaign following the Wolves' 10-5 decision at the Smith Road Complex Tuesday evening. Newberry scored 10 or more runs for the 13th time this season.
Newberry doubled the Fleet with 16 hits on the day and took advantage of four Erskine errors. The hosts were forced to use eight pitchers in the contest, only one of whom lasted longer than 1.1 innings. The Wolves were not retired in order in any inning.
Jonathan Elicier improved to 2-1 on the season with a strong seven-inning outing. The sophomore gave up two runs on eight hits and used an efficient 90 pitches to turn the game over to
Aaron Copeland entering the eighth. Copeland walked one with three strikeouts in two innings of hitless relief.
Aidan Baur and
Tyler White were the Wolves' primary offensive spark plugs, each finished with three hits, three RBI's, and two runs scored. Four additional players finished with two hits, while
Luke Orr was officially 1-for-3 but tattooed a ball high off the wall in right center for a two-run double, walked three times, and scored three runs in his second career start at the designated hitter position.
White gave Newberry its first run of the game with a two-out double in the third inning that scored a hustling Baur from first. Baur's bases-loaded single and White's RBI base hit, both with two outs, provided three runs in the fourth inning.
Colin Allman, making just his seventh start since Feb. 8, provided the offense in the fifth with a no-doubt, two-run blast deep over the left field fence to stretch the lead to 6-1 in the fifth. Newberry the fifth and eighth innings to win by a margin of five or more runs for the 13th time this season.
Erskine was led by two hits apiece from right fielder Cory Everett and catcher Cole Warken. Both Fleet runs were scored by Warken, while Drew Yniesta provided the lone RBI.
Newberry returns home for a weekend series with South Atlantic Conference foe Anderson. The Wolves currently sport a 16-0 record at the Smith Road Complex, second-best home record across all three NCAA divisions behind Arizona State, and sit atop the SAC standings at 8-1 in league play. First pitch Friday is set for 6:00 p.m. with Saturday's doubleheader beginning at 1:00 p.m.
