NEWBERRY, S.C. -- The Newberry softball team scored three runs in the bottom of the sixth inning in game two Saturday to split a South Atlantic Conference doubleheader with the Anderson Trojans.
Hannah Towery went 4-8 on the day, with a home run and three RBI to lead the Wolves offense while
Alexandrea Sullivan turned in another gem in the second game.
Game one: Late rally comes up short
The first game of the day saw the Wolves rally in the bottom of the seventh, scoring three runs on three hits, including a three-run home run from Simonds that cut the Anderson lead to 5-4.
McKenzie Barneycastle started the inning with a infield single before advancing to third thanks to a
Hannah Towery double, setting up Simonds to hit her sixth home run of the season.
Newberry had gotten on the board in the bottom of the first when Towery went deep for the ninth time this season, which at the time made it a 1-1 game. Simonds finished the game 1-1, with her three RBI while Towery went 3-4 with two runs scored and an RBI.
Alyssa Ball threw four solid innings of relief, allowing one earned run on six hits.
Game two: Sullivan throws complete game as Wolves strike big in sixth
The second game was setting up to be a pitcher's dual, as neither team was able to score until Newberry pushed a run across in the bottom of the fourth. The inning started when
Sierra Brogdon reached on an error by the second baseman.
Reagan Glanz then stepped up and hit a ground ball that ended up being a fielder's choice, with Glanz safely reaching first.
Tedi Nunn then hit a single, loading the bases. After the Trojans recorded a strikeout,
Paige Meyer singled, picking up an RBI to give Newberry a 1-0 lead.
Sullivan had another fantastic game in the circle for the Wolves, going the distance and allowing just four hits. She had a no-hitter going into the top of the sixth, but was able to survive a pair of late Trojan rallies to pick up her seventh win of the season. Her offense came alive in the sixth to score three insurance runs, thanks to just one hit and three Anderson errors.
Tori Rose picked up an RBI with a hard single into left field, while Nunn, Wright and Meyer all scored runs during the inning.
The Trojans were able to get a pair of hits and a run in the top of the seventh, but Sullivan ended the game with a strikeout and inducing a groundout to the shortstop to close things out. She finished the game with nine strikeouts and just the one earned run.
Inside the Boxscore
- Sullivan is now 7-2 this season, with a team-high 80 strikeouts in 65.2 innings pitched. She has thrown seven complete games and has spun three shutouts this season while compiling an ERA of 1.71. This was the fifth time this season that she has recorded nine or more strikeouts, with her single-game high being the 12 she struck out on Feb. 24 against LImestone.
- The Wolves currently have two players who are batting over .400, led by Barneycastle who is sitting at .435 this season. Towery is batting .410 this season with a team-leading nine home runs and 22 runs batted in. Haley Simonds is batting .339, with six home runs and 18 RBI and has drawn 11 walks, which is most on the team.
Up Next
The Wolves welcome the Converse Valkyries to the Smith Road Complex Sunday for a nonconference doubleheader. Game one is set for a 1 p.m. first pitch, with game two following.
