Gaffney, S.C. - The Newberry Softball Team opened their South Atlantic Conference slate on Wednesday Afternoon as they traveled to Gaffney to take on the Limestone Saints. The Saints would take game one after a seventh inning Newberry rally would fall short and couldn't hold on late in game two as Limestone would come back and win with a walk-off in the seventh. The results put the Wolves at a 15-7 record overall and 0-2 in SAC play. 

Game One: Limestone 5, Newberry 4
The Wolves would get out to an early 1-0 lead in the second inning as Hannah Towery would draw a leadoff walk and then score on a single and an error off the bat of Hailey Hill. The Saints would load the bases in the third with two outs but Kasey Widmyer would get a fly out to left to retire the side with no damage done. Newberry would add to their lead in the fourth as the Towery and Hill would hit back to back singles but a double play would retire Hill but Tedi Nunn would lace a single that would score Towery double the Wolves lead at 2-0. 

However, the Saints cut into the lead in the bottom of the fifth with a sacrifice fly to make it 2-1 and then score four in the sixth on a leadoff home run and two RBI singles, one of which barely squeaked under Lindsey Mitchell's glove for what would've been the third out and the Saints led 5-2 heading to the final frame of action. 

The Wolves would not go away quietly as they would score two runs off of a Sierra Brogdon double that would cut the Limestone lead to one and put the tying run in scoring position but Newberry could not get her home as Limestone would retire the next batter to come away with the game one win.

Game Two: Limestone 6, Newberry 5
Newberry would once again get out to a 2-0 lead, albeit much earlier in game two as Mallena Wright would lead off the game with a walk, advance to second on a wild pitch, reach third on a Sierra Brogdon single, and then finally score on another wild pitch by the Saints. In the second, Tedi Nunn and Vanessa Wilson would lead off the inning with singles and Kasey Widmyer would advance them each 60 feet on a sacrifice bunt which would lead to Nunn scoring on a passed ball to give the Scarlet and Gray the 2-0 lead. 

The Saints would respond in the bottom half of the inning with an RBI single but the Wolves would get that run back in the top of the third as Brogdon would lead off with a double and would be brought home on back to back fly outs to make the score 3-1. However, the Saints would tie the game in the bottom of the inning with two runs on a bases loaded walk and RBI single. 

Vanessa Wilson would put the Wolves back in front in the top of the fourth with her first home run of the season to give Newberry the 4-3 lead and the Wolves would pad their lead in the fifth as Hannah Towery would score on a dropped third strike throw down to first base to make it 5-3 Wolves. 

Limestone would not go away quietly as they would continue the back and forth nature of the game with a two RBI single in the sixth to tie the game. 

The Wolves would have their opportunity to take the lead in the top of the seventh as Sierra Brogdon would single, her fifth hit of the doubleheader, which was followed up with a Hannah Towery single to give the Wolves two on with only one out but Limestone would retire the next two batters to send the game to the home half of the seventh still tied. Unfortunately the Saints would capitalize on the Newberry stranded runners as they would get a runner on with a single and stolen base who was brought home with an RBI single to give Limestone the sweep.

The Scarlet and Gray turn their attention now to this weekend as they will host their final round robin tournament of the season as they welcome King and Davis and Elkins to the Smith Road Complex. On Saturday, the Wolves are scheduled to play at 11 AM against Davis and Elkins then at 3 PM against King. On Sunday, the Wolves will play the final two games of the afternoon at 1 PM and 3 PM.