NEWBERRY, S.C. – Continuing their hot start to the 2022 campaign, the Newberry College (5-0) baseball team was able to pick up a convincing 13-4 win over Southern Wesleyan (2-3) to kick off a three-game series over the upcoming weekend.
After getting the start on the bump on opening day but drawing a no decision, redshirt-junior Joe LaFiora (Philadelphia, Pa.) picked up his first win on the young season with six innings of shutout baseball while fanning eight batters along the way. Redshirt-sophomore Colm O'Shea (Sunnyside, N.Y.), freshman Brad Brooks (Mount Pleasant, S.C.) and redshirt-junior Bryce Peterson (Coon Rapids, Minn.) each tallied an inning on the night as well to help the Wolves to the win.
At the plate, graduate student Beau Thompson (Pickens, S.C.) provided the most run production for the Wolves as he blasted a grand slam in the second inning. Redshirt-sophomore Henry Gibson (Walterboro, S.C.) pitched in a pair of RBIs on the day as well while four other players were able to record one each. The Wolves were aggressive on the base path all night as well as they recorded seven stolen bases on the evening, only getting caught on one occasion.
Though the Warriors were able to get a runner in scoring position in the opening frame of action, a perfectly executed pick-off at second base removed that run threat from the base path and kept SWU scoreless in the top of the inning. A two-out hit batter in the bottom half followed by a balk gave the Wolves their first look at offensive production and they would capitalize on that opportunity as Gibson recorded his first RBI with a double lined down the left side of the field to give Newberry the 1-0 lead.
LaFiora only need ten pitches to retire the side in the top of the second before an offensive outburst occurred in the bottom half of the inning that resulted in an 8-0 lead for the Wolves. The inning started with a lead-off homerun by freshman Jonathan Velez (Mayaguez, P.R.) and would be followed up by a single by senior Ian Clements (Upper Marlboro, Md.). A defensive miscue on a sacrifice bunt attempt by the Wolves would score Clements all the way from first and leave a runner waiting on third, with a 3-0 advantage on the score line.
A single on the next plate appearance for Newberry would continue to extend that lead out to 4-0. Two outs and some intelligent base running left the Wolves with a runner on third, an issue for the Warriors that was only compounded by two walks that loaded the bags for the Scarlet and Gray. Thompson would step into the box and waste absolutely no time as he took his first pitch for a ride down the left field line and into the woods, extending the Wolves lead out to 8-0 at the end of the second.
The two squads would trade scoreless half innings in the third and Newberry held the Warriors with out a run in the top of the fourth while adding one of their own in the bottom. After getting on by a well-placed bunt, redshirt-senior Zane Tarrance (Odessa, Fla.) would find his way across the dish off a defensive misplay by the Warriors to further strengthen the Wolves lead to 9-0.
LaFiora would work a walk and three strikeouts in the top of the fifth before Newberry would further pad their lead in the bottom half of the inning, posting a four spot on the scoreboard. The highlight of the inning came on a perfectly executed double steal with runners on first and third that gave the Wolves their first run of the inning. They followed that up with an RBI single by sophomore Jacob LeBron (Lexington, S.C.) and added two more runs off a triple by redshirt-junior Braylin Marine (Freeport, N.Y.) to bring the score to 13-0.
While the Wolves would go quiet offensively throughout the remainder of the game, they did allow four late runs from the Warriors that broke up the shutout but were still able to secure the 13-4 win at home.
The three-game series continues with a doubleheader on the campus of Southern Wesleyan tomorrow, February 12. First pitch of the opener is slated for 1:00 p.m.
