NEWBERRY, S.C. — Kicking off their final home conference series of the year, the No. 16 Newberry College (33–10, 15-5 SAC) baseball team picked up a pair of wins over the Indians of Catawba College on Friday, April 15.
Junior Joe LaFiora (Philadelphia, Pa.) and freshman Tyler Chinpire (Jupiter, Fla.) each picked up wins on the mound for the Wolves while junior Kyle Baker (Gaston, S.C) notched a save in the early game. LaFiora works five complete innings allowing fours runs while striking out a pair. Chinpire tossed a near complete game as he fanned three in six innings of work.
Senior Ian Clements (Upper Marlboro, Md.) posted four RBIs on the day to lead the Wolves offense. Fellow senior Beau Thompson (Pickens, S.C.) knocked in three runs while junior Braylin Marine (Freeport, N.Y.) and senior Zane Tarrance (Odessa, Fla.) each pitched in a pair.
After the Indians were able to take the early lead in the contest posting a pair of runs in the top of the first, the Wolves would then match that effort and do one better in the bottom half in the first game. A pair of walks would put two runners on the bags before sophomore Henry Gibson (Walterboro, S.C.) would knock a single down the left field line that would plate the first run. Thompson and Clements would each record RBIs in the inning as well as the Wolves would take the 3-2 lead.
Tarrance would knock in a run in the bottom of the second inning to extend the Wolves lead out to two, but Catawba was able to scratch across a run in the top of the third to bring the margin back to one. That wouldn't last long as another RBI for Tarrance in the bottom of the fourth would bring the lead back to two at 5-3.
The Indians would claw right back into with a single run in the top of the fifth, but the Wolves kept distancing themselves as Marine would record his first RBI of the day in the bottom of the sixth, making the score 6-4.
Though Catawba was able out one more run on the board over the remainder of the opening game, the Wolves were able to shut them down after that, including a shutout inning from Baker in the ninth to secure the 6-5 win.
In the nightcap, Newberry would use two big innings in the bottom of the second and fourth innings to distance themselves the Indians. Clements would kick off the four-run inning in the second as he would knock a sacrifice fly to left field that brought around the first run of the frame.
The Scarlet and Gray continued their scoring as freshman Jomar Lugo (San Sebastian, P.R.) knocked a single to bring around another run. Sophomore Jacob LeBron (Lexington, S.C.) and Marine would record the other two RBIs of the inning as the Wolves took the 4-0 lead after two.
Catawba posted one run in the top of the third but the Wolves would again respond with four more runs in the bottom of the fourth to bring the lead to 8-1. After an early defensive miscue in the frame, a double by Thompson and a triple by Clements would drive in a pair of runs each to give Newberry that seven run advantage.
The Indians were able to plate two runs in the top of the fifth, but Chinpire would be able to work out of his jam and work through the sixth not allowing another run. After and unfortunate walk to start the top of the seventh, Newberry wood turn to the bullpen where sophomore Johnathan White (Simpsonville, S.C.) was waiting to make his appearance. He would come in and shut the Indians down, tossing just nine pitches while recording all three outs of the seventh, including two strikeouts, to wrap up the 9-3 win for the Wolves.
The two teams will return to action tomorrow, Saturday, April 16, as they wrap up their three-game series with Catawba. The Wolves will honor five senior members of the 2022 squad prior to the contest.
