NEWBERRY, S.C. – With an extra-inning walk-off double and a dominant combined pitching performance from juniors Olivia Chestnut (Mount Dora, Fla.) and Ally Sullivan (Campobello, S.C.) the Newberry College softball team (10-5, 2-0 SAC) opened South Atlantic Conference play with two wins over the Limestone Saints (5-11, 0-2 SAC) on Wednesday afternoon. The Wolves took game one 4-3 in eight innings and won game two 4-2 in the regulation seven innings.

Chestnut earned her first win of the season in the circle for her three innings of relief work in the first game. She allowed just one hit and struck out six while allowing no walks. Freshman catcher Molly Mattas (Duncan, S.C.) tallied six total bases on three doubles including the game-winning hit in the bottom of the eighth inning. Sullivan notched the win in the circle in game two after taking over for Chestnut in the fifth inning. She struck out two while giving up two hits and a walk in three innings pitched. Junior right fielder Vanessa Wilson (Loganville, Ga.) went two-for-three at the plate and collected two of the team's RBIs with a tie-breaking two-run single in the bottom of the fifth inning.

Game One:
Junior designated player Sierra Brogdon (Leesburg, Ga.) knocked in the first run of the day in the first inning, scoring Mattas who reached on an error.

The Wolves and Saints traded quick innings in the second and Limestone likewise went down easily in the top of the third. In the bottom of the third with two outs and starting pitcher Lindsey Foster (Griffin, Ga.) standing on third base, Mattas knocked her first double of the day, giving the Wolves a 2-0 lead heading into the fourth inning.

Foster pitched herself out of a jam in the top of the fourth as with runners on first and second base, she forced an inning-ending double play, keeping the Saints off the board.

Both sides went down in order in the fifth inning. Then in the top of the sixth, Limestone picked up their first lead of the game after two singles to lead off the inning scored on a home run to right field. After hitting the next batter, Foster exited the circle and Chestnut came in to pitch. With a runner on first and no outs, Chestnut collected two consecutive strikeouts before giving up a single, but sophomore left fielder Christine Butler (Joliet, Ill.), who entered the game at the same time as Chestnut, threw out the batter trying to stretch the hit into a double, ending the inning.

With two runners in scoring position following Mattas' second double of the game, Brogdon tied the game 3-3 with a sacrifice fly to center field.

Both teams had a chance to score in the seventh with runners in scoring position, but failed to do so and the game went to an extra inning. After inducing a fly out to right field that advanced the Limestone runner that was placed on second base to start the inning, Chestnut notched two consecutive strikeouts to keep the Saints off the board in the top of the eighth. With their own runner placed on second to start the inning, Mattas' third double of the game walked off game one, giving the Wolves a 4-3, eighth-inning victory.

Game Two:
Both teams collected one hit through the first two innings, but the Wolves struck first when Limestone's first baseman attempted to throw behind Wilson at third base, sailing the throw into left field for the first run of the game.

The lead did not last long for the Wolves, as with one on and one out in the third, the Saints' shortstop sent a ball into the wind that carried out over the right field fence. Chestnut found her way out of the inning by striking out two despite hitting a batter between the punch outs.

The Wolves' offense came alive in the bottom of the fourth inning as Brogdon singled to lead off the inning and freshman pinch runner Yahaira Williams (Key West, Fla.) advanced to second on a groundout and then had a close call stealing third. A fielder's choice at the plate got Williams out, but sophomore second baseman Mady Brown (Winston-Salem, N.C.) reached base on the play. Brown advanced to second on a passed ball and came around to score as senior first baseman Lindsey Mitchell (Fairfield, Ohio) sent a single through the right side of the infield, tying the game.

With two runners in scoring position in the bottom of the fifth, Wilson again found herself adding runs to the Wolves' total. This time, her single to left field scored the go-ahead run and an insurance run, giving Newberry a 4-2 that they did not let go.

But the Wolves were not completely in the clear, as after recording the first two outs of the sixth inning, Sullivan worked the bases loaded. But showing her resilience, the Campobello-native struck out the next hitter, leaving three stranded for the Saints.

Sullivan made quick work of the Saints in the seventh inning, retiring them in order and securing the two-run, 4-2 victory for the Wolves.

The Wolves return to the diamond on Saturday, Feb. 25 as they head to Tigerville, S.C. for a road doubleheader with the North Greenville Crusaders. First pitch of game one is scheduled for 1 P.M.