NEWBERRY, S.C. – Behind two complete-game pitching performances, the Newberry College softball team (22-13, 8-6 South Atlantic Conference) swept their midweek doubleheader with the Mars Hill Lions (13-18, 5-11 SAC). The Wolves won the first game 6-1 and needed eight innings to win game two 3-2.

Sophomore pitcher Lindsey Foster earned the win for her seven innings of work in the circle in game one. She allowed one run on five hits and collected seven strikeouts. Junior pitcher Olivia Chestnut (Mount Dora, Fla.) tossed eight innings for her victory. She allowed two runs on just three hits and struck out 14 batters. Chestnut retired nine consecutive batters to begin the game and did not give up a hit until the fifth inning.

Junior first baseman Sierra Brodgon (Leesburg, Ga.) led the way at the plate for the Wolves in game one. She hit two home runs and collected three of the team's six RBIs in the first game. Sophomore second baseman Mady Brown (Winston-Salem, N.C.) went a perfect 3-for-3 in the game with two RBIs.

While the hit total was the same, the Wolves were unable to push as many runs across in game two, and it was sophomore catcher Mackenzie Turner's (Jefferson, Ga.) two-out single in the eighth inning that sealed the victory for the Wolves.

Game one:
The Lions threatened to score early in the game as they loaded the bases with no outs in the top of the first. But with the bases loaded, Foster fielded a ground ball in the circle, threw home for the first out and freshman catcher Molly Mattas (Duncan, S.C.) fired to Brogdon at first for the rally-killing double play. Foster struck out the next batter looking to end the Lions' biggest threat of the game.

The Wolves turned that momentum into an early lead after a lead-off single from junior centerfielder Amber Dalfonso (Apopka, Fla.), Brogdon knocked the first of her home runs over the fence, scoring two runs for the Wolves. 

Junior Vanessa Wilson (Loganville, Ga.) led off the second inning with a solo shot over the fence in left field, pushing the Wolves' lead to 3-0.

The Lions scratched a run across in the top of the third inning with a two-out double, but the Wolves responded immediately in the bottom of the inning as Brogdon led off with a no-doubt solo shot that bounced off the scoreboard in left field, bringing the score to 4-1.

Both sides went down in order in the fourth inning. In the fifth inning, Brogdon made an incredible diving play to keep a ball that likely would have scored a run on the infield clay for the second out. Foster followed that play by inducing a ground ball to end the inning and stranding a runner at third base.

In the bottom of the fifth inning, Brown notched a two-out double scoring runners from first and second base and bringing the game to its final 6-1 score.

Foster retired the Lions in order in the sixth and allowed one hit in the seventh inning as she went the distance and earned her eighth win of the season.

Game two:
Chestnut was nearly in the first two innings of game two as she struck out five of the first six batters she faced. She pushed that number to six of the first nine batters in the third inning. She did not allow a base runner in the first three frames.

The Wolves, however, collected several base runners in that same span. Dalfonso again led off the game with a hit. After advancing to second on a ground out, Dalfonso stole third and advanced to home on a throwing error by the Lions' catcher. The Wolves collected two more hits in the inning, but were unable to push across another run and the lead held at 1-0.

In the third inning, Turner singled on the infield clay with two outs, scoring Mattas from third and doubling the Wolves lead to 2-0.

After walking her first batter of the game to lead off the fourth inning, Chestnut responded with two consecutive strikeouts and induced a pop out to end the inning. The Mount Dora, Fla. native's no-hit bid ended with one out in the fifth inning as the Lions' catcher singled into left field but the Wolves kept the bases empty as she was thrown out at second attempting to stretch the hit for an extra base. In the sixth inning, Chestnut continued her dominance as, despite giving up a walk, she collected another three strikeouts and stranded the runner.

However the Wolves were not out of the woods yet. With one out and a runner on first, the Lions collected their second hit of the game, a home run into right field, tying the game at two runs each. The Lions almost took their first lead of the day on the next at-bat. The Lions' catcher hit a ball over the center field fence, but Dalfonso stuck her glove over the fence, corralling the ball back into the park and holding the batter to a double. Chestnut recomposed herself and cleanly fielded and threw two balls over to first base to end the inning and leave the runner stranded.

With the runner placed on second base, a foul ball to right field advanced her to third with one out for the Lions in the top of the eighth. But Chesnut continued her strike-zone dominance as she collected two more strikeouts to end the inning and leave the runner stranded at third base.

The Wolves advanced their own runner to third with two outs, but Turner singled up the middle on the first pitch of the at-bat to score the game-winning run as the Wolves took game two 3-2.

The Wolves are back on the diamond Saturday, April 1 as they host the Anderson Trojans at the Smith Road Complex. First pitch of the doubleheader is scheduled for 1 P.M.