NEWBERRY, S.C. – Struggling to plate runs in doubleheader action against the Royals of Queens University of Charlotte, the Newberry College (26-6, 9-3 SAC) baseball team dropped a pair of contests to the visitors as they failed to secure the conference series for the first time this season.
The Wolves were able to post 17 hits between the two contests but would only muster five runs on the day as they dropped an extended 14-inning contest by a score of 7-2 in the opener of the day and dropped the nightcap by a 6-3 margin. Freshman Tyler Chinpire (Jupiter, Fla.) worked a scoreless five innings in the first game to post the best outing of the afternoon on the mound while sophomore Wesley Livingston (Pomaria, S.C.) turned in three innings of scoreless relief in the late game.
Sophomore Henry Gibson (Walterboro, S.C.) was the only Wolf to post multiple hit games in both contests while senior Zane Tarrance (Odessa, Fla.) recorded a trio of hits in the opener. Senior Beau Thompson recorded the lone two RBIs for the Wolves in the early game and would tally one in the late game as well as freshman Ben Freeman (Easley, S.C.) who recorded one as well.
Both teams went down in order to start the first game of the day before Gibson posted a triple on the board to lead-off the second inning. However, three straight outs would leave him stranded there and the scoreboard without a tally. The Wolves would have a look at a run in the bottom of the third but would get caught in a rundown and fall just short of the plate.
Gibson again found himself in scoring position in the bottom of the fourth and wouldn't have to wait long on the base path as a wind-aided shot to left field by Thompson would float over the outfield wall and bring around two runs, giving Newberry that same advantage in the contest. Queens scratched across a run in the top of the sixth and seventh innings to pull even and neither team would be able to score a run in the final innings of regulation play.
Neither team would make headway in the early goings of extra innings as the best chances for either side were squandered as the Wolves were able to throw out a runner at the plate to end the top of the eleventh and the Royals forced the Wolves to leave a runner stranded at third in the bottom of the thirteenth. Queens however would be able to break the deadlock in the top of the fourteenth as they were able to plate five runs in the frame with the Wolves unable to respond, taking the 7-2 decision.
The night cap started similarly as the Wolves were able to jump to an early two run lead, this time in the first inning as a bases loaded wild pitch brought around the first run of the innings before a hard groundout by Thompson plated the other and gave them the 2-0 lead. However, it would be queens who would swing the lead back into their favor in the top of the second as they were able to post three runs on the board in the inning, all unearned.
Queens further extended their lead in the top of the fifth, a three-run inning for the Royals that was aided by back-to-back home runs to kick off the frame. Newberry was able to move two runners into scoring position quickly in the bottom half of the frame looking to respond quickly but as was the story of the day they would leave them stranded. They would move another runner to third base in the bottom of the sixth, but two quick outs following would leave him waiting 90 feet away.
Looking to try and make a drastic comeback in the bottom of the seventh, the Wolves would load the bags up with two-outs on the board and would score one run off a single through the left side by Freeman to bring the margin back to just three. However, the comeback bid would fall short as the game would end on a hard ground out to third base, giving the Royals the 6-3 win.
The Wolves return to action on Tuesday, March 29 as they take part in the first of two non-conference match ups as they travel to Augusta, Ga. to take on the Jaguars to wrap up their season series. The Wolves opened the year against the Jags and swept them 3-0 at home.
