NEWBERRY, S.C. – In a game where hits were few and far between for both squads, the Newberry College (2-0) baseball team picked up a gritty 3-1 win over the Patriots of Francis Marion (0-2) at home on Saturday, February 4.

Senior Braylin Marine (Freeport, N.Y.) picked up a pair of hits on the afternoon while sophomore Kade Faircloth (Oviedo, Fla.) and sophomore Jonathan Velez (Mayaguez, P.R.) each recorded a hit in the game with the latter two notching an RBI as well. Sophomore Tyler Chinpire (Jupiter, Fla.) pitched five scoreless inning for the Wolves to start the day while fanning three. Junior Kyle Baker (Gaston, S.C.) picked up his first win of the season in relief as he closed out the last four innings of the contest allowing just a single run.

Neither team was able to put a run on the board in the opening frame but the Wolves were able to take the early lead in the second inning with just a single run. A hit batter, a pair of wild pitches and a walk left runners on the corners for the Wolves.  A throwing error on the part of the Patriots catcher allowed the first Wolves run to cross the plate and give them the 1-0 lead after two.

The bats would go cold for both sides again until the top of the sixth when Francis Marion was able to scratch across a run and tie the game in the late goings. While neither team would score in the seventh, Newberry was able to plate two runs in the bottom of the eighth to take the final lead of the game. A sacrifice fly by Faircloth and then an RBI-single by Velez brought around both scores and extended the Wolves lead to 3-1, which would be the final score line as the Patriots were retired in order in the top of the ninth.

The two teams wrap up their three-game series tomorrow as the Wolves travel to Florence, S.C. for a 3:00 p.m. first pitch.