NEWBERRY, S.C. – Needing just one win to pick up their first sweep of the season, the Newberry College (12-3) baseball team did just that as they turned in an 8-7 win over the Crimson Hawks of Indiana University of Pennsylvania on Sunday, February 26.
Junior Rylan Brown (Spartanburg, S.C.) picked up the win on the mound for the Wolves as he tossed six complete innings allowing just two runs over that stretch while striking out three along the way. Sophomore Donovan Ford (Greenville, S.C.) led the Wolves at the plate as he recorded a trio of RBIs in the contest while recording three hits. Fellow sophomore Jomar Lugo (San Sebastian, P.R.) had a perfect day at the plate, going 3-for-3 at the dish while recording a RBI as well. Four other Wolves were able to bring teammates back around to score over the course of the contest as well.
Both squads wasted no time getting on the scoreboard as each was able to do so in the first inning, though the Wolves were able to score a pair in contrast to the Hawks single run. Small ball tactics kicked off the inning for Newberry as a sacrifice bunt and a stolen base moved Ford to third, where he would be driven in just two batters later by junior Henry Gibson (Walterboro, S.C.). Freshman John Allen Forrester (West Columbia, S.C.) recorded his lone RBI in the contest just two batters later as he notched a sacrifice fly to right field, giving the Wolves the 2-1 lead.
IUP was able to scratch a pair of runs across in the top of the second to swing the lead back in their favor, however the Wolves responded with a single run in the bottom half of the frame off a RBI-single by Ford to bring the score back level at three. The third inning was the first two see no scoring in the contest, but the fourth would bring life back to the offenses again as IUP added a pair of runs to their tally while Newberry was able to break open the floodgates with a five-run frame.
Four straight singles to start the inning plated the first run for the Wolves while a wild pitch on the next at-bat brought around another. A defensive miscue and a sacrifice fly for the next two Newberry batters brought around another two runs for the Wolves while a double from sophomore Hunter French (Minneola, Fla.) brought around the final run of the inning, giving the Wolves the 8-5 advantage.
The Hawks were able to score a run in each of the next two innings to pull back to within one run, but from there it was the Rylan Brown show as he was able to shut the Crimson Hawks down over the final three innings of action to keep the score in the Wolves favor, giving them the 8-7 win and the four-game sweep on the weekend.
The Wolves will now turn their attention to conference play as they make the short trip up to Gaffney, S.C. to take on the Saints of Limestone University in a three-game series. The first game on Friday is slated for a 5:00 p.m. first pitch while the Saturday doubleheader is set for a 12:00 p.m. start.
