AUGUSTA, Ga. – Despite taking a close second game into an extra inning, the Newberry Wolves (2-2, 0-0 South Atlantic Conference) dropped both games of their Tuesday road doubleheader against the Augusta Jaguars (4-2). The Jags took the first game 7-1 and walked off the second game 4-3. 

Sophomore Lindsey Foster (Griffin, Ga.) suffered the loss in the first game. She pitched 3.0 innings and gave up two runs on five hits while striking out three batters. Junior Olivia Chestnut (Mount Dora, Fla.) pitched the other 3.0 innings in the first game and allowed four runs on three hits. She struck out five batters. Junior Alexandrea Sullivan (Campobello, S.C.) got the nod in the circle in the second game and pitched 7.0 innings, allowing three runs. Freshman Jayla Jackson (Dillon, S.C.) received the loss for the second game after coming on in relief in the eighth inning.

With Augusta already up one run in the second inning of the first game, junior Vanessa Wilson (Loganville, Ga.) tallied the Wolves' first hit of the day on a single into left field. She advanced to second on a walk, but both runners were left stranded when a flyout ended the inning.

The game was relatively quiet until the Jags plated two more runs in the bottom of the third, capitalizing on three doubles they hit in the inning to go up 3-0. In the top of the fourth, the Wolves went down in order before Augusta broke the game open with a grand slam from their third baseman to take a 7-0 lead heading into the final three innings.

Junior third baseman Hailey Hill (Summerville, S.C.) continued her hot streak from the weekend and hit a two-out home  run to cut into the Jag's lead. In the bottom of the fifth, the Chestnut stranded a threatening base runner at third base by getting the Jag's hitter to chase for an inning-ending strike out.

Both teams had a runner reach base after a hit in the sixth inning, but neither could manufacture a run and the Wolves went into the final inning down 7-1.

Despite being down to their final three outs down six runs, the Wolves did not go down without a fight. Wilson and sophomore left fielder Leah Evans (Pageland, S.C.) singled to start the inning, putting runners on first and second with no outs. But a pop out and a ground ball to the pitcher quickly got the Wolves down to their last out while moving both runners into scoring position. A walk to junior centerfielder Amber Dalfonso (Apopka, Fla.) loaded the bases, but the next batter struck out, leaving three runners stranded and ending the game.

The second game went better for the Wolves as senior left fielder Emily Hughes (Parrish, Fla.) doubled to bring senior first baseman Lindsey Mitchell (Fairfield, Ohio), who doubled herself to lead off the inning, in to score the game-tying run. In the bottom half of the inning, the Wolves threw out a runner at home plate to keep the score tied before ending the inning on a ground ball to third.

The Wolves took their first lead of the day in the third inning when Mitchell hit a bases-loaded sacrifice fly to center field. The Wolves retired the Wolves in order in the bottom of the third but went down in order themselves in the top of the fourth.

After giving up two singles to start the inning, the Wolves recorded two consecutive outs, keeping the runners at first and second with two outs. But a two-out single tied the game for the Jags before Sullivan recorded the final out of the inning. Freshman catcher Molly Mattas (Duncan, S.C.) gave the Wolves the lead with a one-out single to score Dalfonso from second. But in the bottom of the inning, the Jags did likewise and scored a runner from second base off of a single to tie the game at three runs each.

Both teams had a runner reach second base in the sixth inning but neither was able to push across a run. In the bottom of the seventh inning, the Jags advanced two runners into scoring position after a one-out ground ball to second base. But with her back against the wall, Sullivan induced a popup to end the inning, stranding the two runners in scoring position.

In extra innings, a runner is placed on second base to start each inning. Sophomore Maddy Brown (Winston-Salem, N.C.) came on to run for the Wolves to start the eighth inning and Wilson moved her to third with a ground ball to the pitcher, but two consecutive outs ended the Wolves chances of scoring her.

In the bottom of the inning, the Jag's placed runner similarly advanced on a ground ball, but scored the walk-off run from an Augusta single, downing the Wolves 4-3 in eight innings.

The Wolves return to the diamond on Friday, Feb. 10 as they travel for the first game of a three-game set with Lee University. First pitch is scheduled for 3 P.M.