CLEVELAND, Tenn. – Despite taking a lead into the bottom of the seventh inning of game one of their doubleheader, the Newberry College softball team (3-4, 0-0 South Atlantic Conference) dropped both games of their doubleheader to Lee University (2-5). The Flames took game one in nine innings 8-7 and game two 10-2 in five innings.

Junior pitcher Olivia Chestnut (Mount Dora, Fla.) started game one for the Wolves and pitched six innings. She allowed five runs on 10 hits and struck out five batters. Sophomore pitcher Lindsey Foster (Griffin, Ga.) received the loss in the game for 1 ? innings pitched. She allowed two runs, both unearned, on just one hit and struck out two. Junior pitcher Alexandrea Sullivan (Campobello, S.C.) received the loss in game after facing four batters and being pulled before recording an out.

Game One:
The Wolves started the game off with a run as junior center fielder Amber Dalfonso (Apopka, Fla.) singled to lead off the game and scored on a single from junior first baseman Sierra Brogdon (Leesburg, Ga.). Chestnut allowed just two baserunners on one hit through the first three innings of the game. 

Still up 1-0 with two outs in the fourth inning, the Wolves looked to add more runs but left two runners stranded when the final out of the inning was made on a ground ball to the Flames' pitcher. In the bottom of the fourth, Chestnut pitched herself out of a jam as she had runners on the corner with just one out. She retired the next two batters in order, keeping the lead intact.

In the top of the fifth inning, the Wolves tallied five runs on three hits. Freshman Emily Perry (Jacksonville, Fla.) scored on a wild pitch to start the scoring off and then freshman catcher Molly Mattas (Duncan, S.C.) collected two RBIs on a double down the left field line. Junior right fielder Vaness Wilson (Loganville, Ga.) further padded the lead with an RBI ground ball and sophomore designated player Lindsey Evans collected the final RBI of the half inning on a two-out single into center field.

In the bottom half of the fifth inning, the Flames picked up two runs on three hits to cut the lead down to four runs, 6-2.

The Wolves went down in order in the six and the Flames left two runners on as neither team could add a run to their total heading into the final inning. Brogdon singled with two outs in the seventh inning, but the Wolves left her stranded on the next at-bat with a fly out.

After three singles to start the bottom of the seventh, the Flames collected the first two of the four runs needed to tie the game on a single into center field with no outs in the inning. After two more singles off of new pitcher freshman Jayla Jackson (Dillon, S.C.), the Flames sat down one run down with one out in the inning. They tied the game on the next at-bat, a game-tying double to center field. Foster then stepped into the circle to get the final two outs of the inning and did so on two consecutive strikeouts.

The Wolves and Flames both collected their runner that was placed on second base for the international tie breaker in the eighth inning. Newberry managed to have the placed runner reach third in the ninth, but the Flames scored their runner on a single down the left field line, claiming game one 8-7 in nine innings.

Game two:
The second game did not go as well for the Wolves. After sending only three batters to the plate in the top of the first, Sullivan allowed one run after facing four batters in the bottom of the inning and left the bases loaded. At the end of the inning, she was responsible for all four runs the Flames scored in that inning.

The Wolves again went down in order in the second and third innings. In the bottom of the third, after already adding one run to their lead, the Flames hit a three-RBI double to draw their lead to 8-0.

Freshman shortstop Melanie Carr (Davie, Fla.) collected the team's first hit of the game following a walk to start the inning, but a pop out and a double play ended the Wolves' chance to score in the inning.

 With one out in the fifth inning, a bases-loaded walk turned into an RBI for Evans. After a pitching change, Dalfonso also collected a bases-loaded walk, giving the Wolves another run and cutting the lead to 8-2.The next two batters struck out and the Wolves avoided the run rule for the time being.

That did not last long as Jackson issued two bases-loaded walks of her own to enact the run rule in the bottom half of the inning, giving the Flames a 10-2 victory over the Wolves.

The Wolves are back on the diamond Tuesday, Feb. 14 as they host the UNC Pembroke Braves at the Smith Road Complex for a doubleheader. Game one is set to start at 1 P.M.